Arachnophobia
by Cherry-Blossom-Love
Summary: She'd never been afraid of spiders until she met him. It wasn't so much a simple empty fear that many associated with phobias, and few seemed to notice that fact; those who did either knew the reasoning or were far too insightful for someone of her era.
1. Prologue

_**Arachnophobia**_

**A/N: So… wow. Its been so damn long since I've written anything new, that I actually plan to make more than a few chapters.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama - and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: If I owned anything like this, do people seriously think I'd be writing **_**FAN**_** fictions? **

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She'd never been afraid of spiders until she met _him._ It wasn't so much a simple empty fear that many associated with phobias, and few seemed to notice that fact; those who did either knew the reasoning or were far too insightful for someone of her era. Even the warriors of her modern age had long since been jaded by the lack of that long forgotten sixth sense the daily danger the presence of youkai –among other things– granted a person.

The Shikon had long since been completed, and Naraku defeated to the best of their knowledge. Their victory had not been without heavy loss.

In a twisted sense of irony Kohaku had been killed, via a blow that was meant to end the life of his sister. The taijiya had stood frozen for a good few minutes, Kirara's protection the only thing that kept Kohaku's sacrifice from being in vain, and then she surprised them all with a cry that rivaled even the roar of the lord of the west in his demonic form. Her rage supplied them with the muscle needed to turn the battle; many youkai fell to her hand alone that day, and her reputation as one to be feared spread like the wildfire that soon after took over the battlefield.

They battled on through the flames, and not twenty minutes later a few parties were missing. The incarnations were gone. It was later perceived that they'd been reabsorbed by Naraku in a pitiful attempt by him to regain an edge of power.

In the year of uneasy peace and stillness that had preceded the event –one didn't dare call it the final battle, as they all knew better– the taiyoukai of the west had stunned the lot of them to the seventh layer of hell and back when he ordered Kagome to be trained under himself. After a calm interrogation –tactful as it was– from Miroku, and a slew of choice words from Inuyasha –all which were swiftly followed by an 'Osuwari'– the long year of the miko's training began. It surprised them all when after a course of only seven months the taiyoukai announced there would be no further instruction by his hand. Not because she had learned all there was to know, they all had things to learn and each one of them knew it; ruefully even Sesshomaru would admit, if only to himself, that he was not all-knowing either.

_One of the greatest signs of wisdom, was for one to understand just how much they didn't know._

It was that training, which gave the futuristic miko the ability to do more than cheer from the sidelines and shoot the occasional arrow. It was that training that ultimately brought the infamous Naraku to his demise.

It had been as simple as purifying the tama from a distance. A simple nudge against the Shikon with her aura and it shattered, but did not scatter to the winds once more. The same aura that had purified them, heavily damaged their captor, and destroyed the remains of his minions called each shard back to their original place as one whole entity. Kagome damn near collapsed in a fit of hysterical laughter then and there. It had been that simple. All along it had been that fucking simple.

A thorough observation of the survivors of their misfit pack and allies left them with no more than a bittersweet sense of victory.

The dead bodies of Kouga's wolves laid strewn among the burnt out clearing, the body of a slipping wolf princess in their ranks. A few tender words were exchanged between the auburn haired she-wolf and the prince she'd fallen for –which included a scolding from him for even getting involved, as that was what he'd been trying to keep her from– and she soon after passed in his arms. A proper burial was to be prepared for her when the time was right to discuss such things.

Sango sobbed over Kohaku's once more deceased form. She'd pleaded with the taiyoukai to save the boy, swallowed all pride and pleaded with him like the god his deceased retainer had seen him as. The toad had been destroyed in attempts to protect Rin. The child had barely escaped with her life, but the fact remained that she had indeed survived. He explained gently to the broken slayer –as gently as Sesshomaru could– that he could not revive those that had been revived before, by any means. The Shikon that had brought the slayer boy back three years ago, that had controlled him, it had sealed his fate from that day. Sango cried herself raw, but like the warrior she was, she swallowed the emotions until the time was right.

Kikyo had not showed for the battle, a surprising turn for all involved, but in a surprising act of selflessness Kagome had informed Inuyasha that the undead miko still roamed the earth; the three quarters of her soul she allowed her incarnation to keep had not returned to her.

They had suffered losses, but they survived.

Ceremonies and burials were preformed soon after for those who had been lost. They grieved, they accepted, and they moved on. They moved on, but never forgot; they never forgot that a handful of Naraku's allies –forced or otherwise– still lived. Hakudoshi was among those ranks.

But for the time being, they would not hunt for the boy.

The day had come when the miko had to return to her own era. It was expected that she would never return, and she wouldn't. But the jewel granted her with one gift. She could bring two people with her.

Sango and Miroku were the logical choice.

Inuyasha was hanyou, and would live plenty long to meet with them again. Sesshomaru, he went without being said and Rin would not leave the taiyoukai; they'd all known this, and equally they'd known he would find a way to keep the child alive. He simply had that way about him. As much as it hurt to leave Shippou, he had blatantly demanded that she take Sango and Miroku. In a humorous imitation of Inuyasha –which made them all believe he did indeed look up to the hanyou more than he would ever admit– he had crossed his arms, turned up his nose, and actually said, "Feh, they're just humans. I'm immortal remember? You'll see me again Okaa-san."

Kagome had stared at the kit for a good portion of thirty seconds before she burst out laughing and hugged the fox child to her chest, rapid murmurs of 'arigatou' repeatedly escaping her lips in the process. Whether she was thanking the boy for his selflessness, or for finally openly addressing her as his mother she didn't know, and so she simply assumed it to be both.

Kouga had grinned toothily at the miko and made her smile with his comment. "Don't be stupid. You're my woman, of course we'll meet again."

Sango hadn't wanted to leave Kirara, but without words the neko had pretty much said the same thing to the slayer as the kit had to the miko. They would meet again.

After a few tears, hugs, and a teary farewell between the lot of them Kagome surprised them all by wrapping her arms around, not Inuyasha, but Sesshomaru. "Oi…arigatou Sessho-kun."

He'd stared at her for a long moment before he sighed and offered an uncharacteristic pat on the back. He muttered something under his breath to the miko, something the rest of them could not hear, and she laughed but nodded all the same.

She guided the monk and the slayer to the well and as they turned to say goodbye once more she recalled the conversation she'd had with Inuyasha.

"_What will you do now?" she had asked him, silently hoping that he would say he would wait for her._

"…_I'm….going to look for Kikyo."_

_She smiled for his sake and decided against saying anything to him. He loved Kikyo so dearly, and with the quest for the Shikon over for the meantime, he could find his peace with her. The undead miko was the one who held his heart, the one who would always come first, and Kagome had long since known that; she'd just recently accepted it._

"_I thought as much. I hope you find the happiness Naraku denied you Inuyasha…"_

_He had stared at her stunned, having expected her to 'Osuwari' him until her era was upon them, but never had he thought she would be so damn understanding. It made him mad, that she had automatically assumed he would go after Kikyo, though the reason behind the emotion he could not determine. He already knew though, but unlike the miko that could have been his he did not accept such a thing._

"_Feh! Stupid wench…" he'd spoken the name softly, none of his usual malice –however playful it usually was– behind the words. She had not expected him to stay by her side as she had so loyally done for him, and it angered him beyond words. She doubted his loyalty, then turned around and simply gave him her blessing. She had told him, without actually speaking the words, that she had already begun to move on from him; she would wait no longer, but she would still be there for him if he ever needed even a cup of ramen. And he knew, even that, he didn't deserve from her._

_It had indeed hurt her to hear what she had already known was coming, but she had __**known **__it was coming. She had known Kikyo was always going to come first, always going to be better in every way, but it still fucking hurt. "Yeah… I know Inuyasha…"_

_He had gaped indignantly at her, stunned that she hadn't sat him until she was blue in the face, but instead outright agreed that she was stupid._

_Had he really broken her to such a point?_

_Not able to bear looking at the miko any longer he ground his teeth together, ignored his raging conscience and leapt out of sight. The guilt was too heavy on him to continue their conversation, but he would see her one last time before she left, and then five hundred years later. Perhaps things would have changed by then._

_She'd looked up when he left and smiled bitterly to herself. It had been long since overdue, and while it had not resulted the way she wished it would have, the conversation, the revealations –little as they were – had been for the best._

"_Sayonara Inuyasha." He was too far away to hear the unspoken confession. Her goodbye to him, her unspoken statement that she would forever be out of reach and could have so easily been obtained. And still, she would always love him._

She smiled as she slipped out of the memory and stepped back up to the hanyou, fingers linked behind her back. She surprised him further –her approaching him at all after _that _conversation had caught him off guard– by pressing her lips to his briefly, and whispering the same statement he had missed earlier on. "Sayonara Inuyasha."

And she turned, linked hands with Miroku and Sango, and the three of them tumbled into the well.

He rushed up to it, but she was gone. He wouldn't see her for another five hundred years, and the things he never understood had finally clicked in his head. She had loved him. She had fucking _loved __**and**__ accepted__** him **_the way he was, and he'd been utterly ignorant to it. He had known all along that she accepted him, that she believed him to be fine the way he was, she had even said it on more than one occasion, but it had never dawned on him that she had not been upset by his meetings with Kikyo simply due to the fact that she wanted him to live; it had never occurred to him, the reasoning behind her desire for him to live. His hands shook as he gripped the rim of the ancient well, the time portal that was no longer open.

Inuyasha realized he was alone after a good few minutes, and regained himself with a bit of effort. He would do as he said, and find Kikyo, but in five hundred years he would find Kagome again and he swore with every fiber in his being that he would settle the score.


	2. Adaptation

**_Arachnophobia_**

**A/N: I really cannot believe all the feedback I've already received for this fic. I'm glad to see so many people enjoying the fanfiction so far but I can't promise regular updates. College just started back up and I'm three credits more than it takes to be full-time. I will do my best to update at a decent rate but I wouldn't hold your breath.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama - and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: I highly doubt that my ownership over two amazing stories changed since the last installment of this _FAN_ fiction.**

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The three of them had not been directly transported to the era of the futuristic miko. Instead, they had hung suspended in time for a few long moments, before the entity of Midoriko appeared before them. A few simple words were exchanged, and the older miko informed the trio of their newly acquired immortality. They were nothing more than humans for sure, yet they would remain unchanged.

Kagome would be no more than the 20 year old she had become in her five years in the feudal era, Sango would remain the state of twenty-one, and Miroku a strong twenty-two.

They were the most suited for the job, and while it was explained that Kagome was the only one with the ability to locate, contain, and retain the purity of the Shikon, Midoriko had merely smiled and shook her head when the little miko asked why Sango and Miroku were made immortal as well.

"Nobody should have to suffer the burden of immortality alone…and these two are more than capable of defending the jewel alongside you. You've all lost so much already, it would be a shame for you to lose each other. I regret that the jewel has cost you all so much, consider this penitence on the jewel's part."

When the words of the miko who started the Shikon legend faded, the trio was in a lump at the bottom of the old well. Kagome turned to stare at her not-so-new partners in sharing the burden of the Shikon.

"Strange… that was… strange."

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It had been three months since they'd arrived in the modern era. The reaction her two new companions had to the technology of the modern era was nothing short of priceless. There wasn't one kitchen appliance that hadn't at one point, been the victim of 'purification' via one lecherous monk, and Sango had been so spooked by the television that she'd nearly cut the poor thing in half. Kagome was happy, however, that Inuyasha's destruction of the household appliances in the past had given her sufficient knowledge of how to fix the things she wasn't quick enough to rescue.

Kagome's mother and grandfather were gone, devastating news left in their wake. They had moved into a house closer to a top ranked hospital in Tokyo; Souta had been in an accident and was currently in a coma. Kagome had visited them, and each time she saw her brother she cried, pushed whatever healing ki she could muster into him, wished them all well and returned to the shrine. It was signed over to her a few months later.

Kagome later discovered that Souta had been attacked by no less than a youkai. Whatever reason her dear little brother had not been killed was beyond her, but she could still feel the presence of that very same youkai still lurking around in InuYasha's forest when she searched for it. She had felt the essence of youki still lingering on the boy on her many visits, though it hadn't clicked until her grandfather told the story and her mother backed it up. So she hunted. She did so without success but being able to do _something_ made her feel not so useless.

But on this day, she simply walked as she picked up various items needed for the shrine and grabbed a few articles of clothing for Sango; each outfit the slayer wore consisted of pants –the older female had outright refused to wear those 'short kimonos' she'd always seen the miko in– and whatever top caught her eye. Kagome sighed as she slumped into a chair at the local café, and sniffled in defeat. A cup of steaming tea was set in front of her and her gaze travelled up the arm of the person that offered her the beverage before she'd even ordered anything. "Anou…doushite?" it was all she could think of to say, despite how rude it made her sound. She had learned not to trust so easily; doing so could and would get one killed.

"You seem stressed… chamomile works wonders with that." The redhead flashed a smile at her that would have had most girls swooning, and he braced himself for such an event. Normally, he would avoid the possibility of such a thing occurring in the first place, but she seemed so utterly sad and the nagging little _voice_ in his head would not allow him to leave the beauty before him in such a state. She surprised him when she raised a suspicious eyebrow, dabbed the tip of her finger with the liquid and licked it experimentally; the small action on her part was –somewhat– innocent enough, but had the fox in his head bouncing off the mental walls in a near riot, whilst at the same time he bombarded his host with images of what else the female could do with that pink tongue of hers. He placated the fox by reminding him that there was a time and place for everything, and allowing the kitsune reign of his body in a public café wasn't appropriate for either category. "You think I'd…drug you?"

She shrugged and took a –still hesitant– sip of the steaming tea. "Wouldn't be the first time…" she paused for a moment, and either did not care or did not notice his surprised expression. "Probably won't be the last…"

She didn't protest when he took the bold action of inviting himself to sit with her and so he took it as a positive sign. He opened his mouth to tell her she could talk if she needed to –the comment ushered on by Youko of course, though he wouldn't deny the girl a shoulder to cry on if need be– but stopped when the scent of pure unadulterated fear wafted across his senses. He looked at her and saw it in her eyes. She was petrified of something and he had no clue what it could possibly be; she was staring right past him, at something perhaps behind him. He furrowed his brow and turned around to see no more than a harmless spider. He casually removed the arachnid, placed it outside, and returned to the currently trembling female. She took a large gulp of the tea he'd given her –abandoning all thought of it being drugged– in a desperate attempt to soothe her obviously frayed nerves.

"Do you have arachnophobia?" a single glance into her eyes told him that was not the fact of the matter at all. There was not a simple empty fear that so many phobias were seen as. This was true fear, with a deep seated reason that he doubted she would tell a perfect stranger; whether he rescued her from the spider or not.

_Though he didn't realize, she could never be rescued from the **spider** entirely._

He placed a gentle yet firm hand on her shoulder and she jumped as if he'd reached out to strike her. Something dark had happened to this girl and his curiosity had been peaked enough that he didn't want to let her go; he had the faintest of ideas on what could have happened to her, but he remained in the dark nonetheless. Finally she responded. Not in the way he'd expected, but she responded. He had expected her to cry as most human females did when recalling something painful or traumatic. He had not expected, however, for her to start giggling before laughing almost hysterically.

"Hehe…stupid me… thought I'd won. Should've known… never win."

She mumbled nonsensical things for a bit, and he was only able to make out a few words but he never left. Youko would claw him apart from the inside out, and it simply wasn't in his nature to do such a cruel thing to somebody that obviously needed comfort at the least. She jumped to her feet, mumbled a whimpered 'arigatou' for the tea, and bolted. He followed her to the best of his abilities, and she surprised him yet again when he found he could not track her to her destination.

_=Quite the puzzle Red…we **will** find her.=_

_/…Agreed./_

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She flew through the city streets so quickly that she almost doubted her feet even hit the ground. A few indignant shouts were thrown her way and her momentum was against her when she collided with a rock hard chest. She stumbled back, was pushed away by another male and knocked to the ground. An impressive growl escaped her lips as she stared up at the two leering gangster wannabes (or so she'd dubbed them).

Kagome was in no mood to put up with men like _these._ She stood calmly, brushed herself off and spun on her heel to leave when her wrist was latched onto. _'Should've known…'_

"Unless you want to loose yours I suggest you let go of my arm." The man laughed at her and she felt a swell of anger rise in her chest. It angered her that she seemed so weak and defenseless to so many people –and demons– despite how she proved them wrong for the underestimating her in the first place, it still stirred up the old pain; Kikyo was never doubted in such a way.

"Oi! Didn't your mother ever teach ya not to pick on defenseless women?"

"U-Urameshi? This your chick?"

Oh, she'd show him defenseless. Blatantly, she ignored the man's comment and twisted her wrist so that she was able to latch onto the thug's. She twisted his arm around, ducked under it in a strange parody of a twirl to do so, and spun herself out, effectively forcing him to turn for fear of breaking the arm she had a hold of. She planted her foot on his butt and shoved him into his friend, effectively knocking them both over. Satisfied, she feigned dusting of her hands and smirked down at the dazed males.

When she looked up, she was amused to find that her 'savior' was gaping like a beached fish. Abruptly, she turned on her heel, starting away.

"O-oi! Matte yo!"

She sighed and looked around anxiously, as if waiting to be tackled by someone else, but he approached her when she stopped anyway.

"Hai?"

He almost flinched. Her tone was so blank, sans the small bit of sadness he could detect –despite how well she hid it, and she hid it damn well– and it shook him to his very being. "W-well… I was just wondering… where'd you learn to fight like that?"

She contemplated it for a moment and glanced at him with an even more broken expression than before. "…my brother…my sister…my…other brother… picked some up myself…" She wasn't sure why she told him, but she shut her mouth before she revealed too much.

He opened his mouth to say something else before he caught the scent of salt. He hadn't meant to make her cry! He waved his hands defensively, frantically, as if the motion of his arms would cease the tears that he knew were rolling down her face. "O-oi! Don't- don't cry!"

She wiped her eyes roughly and smiled the biggest smile she could muster; it came out blatantly forced, and obviously it pained her to do so, and the sight of it made him want to aim his spirit gun at whoever had done this to her.

"S'ok…not your fault." She mumbled to him and he crossed his arms with a skeptically raised eyebrow.

"So what's your name anyway?"

She blinked, then grinned, the expression partially reached her eyes that time; but still, only partially. "Higurashi, Kagome…" she craned her head to the side curiously, silently asking him to privy her with the same information.

"Didn't you hear them?"

"Nani desu ka? Urameshi?" She blinked quizzically and tilted her head to the side. "So?"

He stumbled and had to lean his hand against the wall to his left to keep from falling over. She didn't know of him. She didn't know he was no more than some common street thug in this world. The brief thought that he could have a chance with a girl after Keiko flitted through his mind, before the lust of his demon blood swiftly reminded him of why it was impossible. He_was_ a _demon_. Still he sighed and shook his head with a grin.

"Urameshi, Yusuke." He gave her a mock salute and turned as his communicator went off; he cursed Koenma thoroughly then. "Gomen, but that's work. Get home safe Kag."

She blinked as she watched him leave, then blinked some more. "Kag?"

* * *

"He sounds cute!"

"Which one?"

"Pick!" The slayer rolled her eyes at the younger female, and shook her head disdainfully. She knew Kagome had given up on Inuyasha, and she wasn't against urging the dejected miko into a better relationship.

"Sango! You… you act more like a girl from this era than I do anymore. It doesn't matter anyway… I babbled like an idiot in front of the first one, and then I think…well I'm not sure about the other guy." She stopped and adopted what Sango called her 'thinking face'. "I don't know if they could sense me… but I'm pretty sure they were at least somewhat youkai."

"Well I suppo-" Kagome was no longer listening to her, instead the little miko's eyes were so wide Sango thought they might fall right out of her head. "Kagome?"

"Shi…no way." Stiffly she stood up –she could have sworn her joints creaked that's how stiff she was– and scowled playfully out her partially opened bedroom window. "It took you long enough! What's it been- three months?"

"Try five-hundred years Okaa-san."

A toothy grin was all she saw before the kitsune in front of her had her smashed against his chest. The loss of a burden she hadn't realized she'd been carrying was more relieving than she could hope to express. He had survived. Her kit had survived the five centuries that initially separated them. "Shippou…how is everyone else?"

"Depends… Inuyasha…depends on his mood." He released his surrogate mother and crossed his arms over his chest where her head had rested prior. "Bi-polar son of a bitch he is…"

Kagome giggled, the action reached her eyes for the first time in a long time and she shook her head in understanding.

"Kouga… well he should be here sometime in the next few weeks."

"One thing… is he still on that 'my woman' thing?" She had to hold back a wince at what she knew would be the answer. Kouga wasn't the type to give up on _anything_ least of all give up on what he thought to be his; wolves were simply possessive like that.

"You need to ask? If anything he's worse… five hundred years kind of gave him the resolve to meet up with you again and 'woo' you or whatever it was he said…" He nearly laughed as he trailed off in what he'd been saying, at the look on his mother's face. She stood there, her nose scrunched up in distaste and appearing very much as if she wanted nothing more than to turn around and put her head through the wall – or perhaps Kouga's.

"How is… how's Sesshomaru?"

He knew there had been something between the taiyoukai and his mother figure; they all had noticed that –with the exception of perhaps Inuyasha– despite that it was strictly platonic the two of them had shared a bond stronger than was expected of the cold taiyoukai. As far as that relationship had gone with Kagome, well it was nothing short of what could be expected of her; complete and utter devotion, even if it was only as a friend.

"Far as I know? Still got that same old stick shoved up his ass." He grinned in a manner that betrayed his human guise and a lip quirked up at the raven haired miko. "Except of course when it's _you_ he talks about…" Though even so, it was not so much that anyone would notice the difference unless they knew him; and there were so few people that really, _really_ knew him. But Sesshomaru and his socially inept attitude wasn't Shippo's main concern. He'd arrived just in time to hear his mother talk of running into what she believed to be two demons, and if they wanted anything to do with her, they would have to go through him –and quite possibly a damn good portion of Makai– and so few got through him since his training. He still had to thank his dear mother for convincing Sesshomaru to give him said training; and he would do so slowly and painfully.

"So what's this I hear about you running into two youkai today?"

"Shippo! You act like you're the parent…" She gave him a bland look and he almost laughed.

"Do you think that stops a youkai of all things from being protective… possessive in some other cases." It wasn't so much the question he'd intended it to be, but neither of them seemed to mind. It was only then that he realized it was the two of them in the room, alone; Sango had slipped out –a stupid grin probably on her face– to leave them with the privacy they needed. It was too bad she'd left so quickly though, as he'd come with a surprise for the slayer as well.

"Kirara!"

Kagome's squeal of surprise and delight told him the two-tailed had spoiled said surprise; that thought was further supported by the rushed footsteps foregoing the bedroom door slammed open to reveal a panting Sango. He glowered down at the neko in the playfulness that could only come from a fox. "Spoilsport…"

"Kirara…"

The whispered voice of his 'aunt' had him instantly forgive the neko. Despite how much they all knew Sango cared for Kagome and Miroku, Kirara was the only thing she had left of her life previous to Naraku. He knew that pain, to not have anything left that one once knew, and he was happy to have eased Sango's. He knew it was no longer proper for them to be there once Sango fell into a fit of what this era's females called 'happy tears'. Women were confusing in any race, but if there was one thing he knew about them that didn't much change in either direction it was that one did not get on their bad side; especially not Sango or Kagome. So he slipped from the room, Kagome following closely behind, and made himself comfortable on the sofa beside Miroku; he didn't care much for the stunned expression the monk wore, though it did amuse him. "Your face might get stuck like that hentai."

"Why Shippo I'm surprised at you… have you been waiting five centuries just to call me such names?"

"It's been my entire reason for existence, sure."

She smiled as she watched them and a warmth that had long since vacated her seemed to have begun its return trip home. And still, she felt painfully empty. For the moment though, Kagome would be happy for a simple sense of normalcy.

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**A/N: So there's the first official chapter… I'm happy so many people have been enjoying the story. To be honest I was going to wait a few more days until I updated but I had such positive feedback it sent my muse into a damn frenzy. I hope this holds you guys over for a bit as school is… well school.**


	3. Restoration

_**Arachnophobia**_

**A/N: Ha! You didn't expect me to update that quickly did you? Well… neither did I. So be happy! Cause after this my update rate really gets iffy… blame it on school people, college is a kick in the ass.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: I own my favorite old hooded sweat shirt but if I had ownership of anything remotely profitable (in terms of the green stuff my wonderful readers & reviewers) I don't think I'd be doing **_**FAN**_** fiction. **

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As she wrapped her arms around her shoulders, Kagome tugged her knees to her chest and stared unseeingly out the window of her room. She had missed her birth home so much, and now a heavy weight of guilt sat atop her shoulders; if she had been home, if she had been there, she could have saved Souta. Souta would not have been put into a coma with little hope of ever waking if she had. It was all her fault, just as it was her fault that the shattered Shikon no Tama had ruined so many lives.

There was one difference between the two events, however. Whereas she was useless aside from her miko senses during their search for the jewel, she was trained now, and at least a little more useful; though that idea was swiftly forced from her mind. She wasn't as useful as she wished she could be. Ever since she'd found out what had happened to Souta, she had been trying to heal her brother at each visit. Each time she saw him, she pushed more healing ki into the boy but nothing ever happened. This, of course, only reinforced the conviction that she was barely useful.

Despite this, she still daydreamed about what she would do to the youkai that had done this to Souta when she found it.

"Kaa-san! Someone's here to see you!" Shippo's voice came from downstairs, as he shouted up to her.

With a groan, Kagome swung her legs around so that her feet met the floor –she wasn't sure _when_ her position changed– and uttered a mantra beneath her breath. "Please don't be Hojo, please don't be Hojo…"

Still, she plastered a smile on her face and headed downstairs. She was the happy one, the cheery schoolgirl of the modern era who kept everyone else together; it was what she did, it was what she was good at. It was _all_ she was good at. As she hopped over the last step, she'd just barely walked into the kitchen when she was snatched up. "Eh?!"

"My woman!"

Lips crashed against her own, her eyes shot open, but she couldn't push him away. He'd waited five centuries to see her again, and Shippo _had_ warned her that he'd gotten worse over the ages. He allowed her to breathe finally and she looked up to meet his smug cerulean gaze. The grin that had twisted across his face made her heart flutter – in a purely platonic sense mind you – and the sense of being home increased a substantial amount.

_One by one they were all coming back to her._

"Kouga!" She wrapped her arms around his waist and settled her head against his chest. She hadn't had to wait as long as he had, but she had missed him all the same. She was, after all, Higurashi Kagome; and Higurashi Kagome needed people, she needed companionship. It was the one thing she'd willingly admit she had in common with Kikyo; the two of them could not bear to be alone.

* * *

"I'm not leaving without it."

The miko grimaced. "Sango…" She shook her head and sighed. "Oh alright. Just don't be obvious about it, please?" The bland look that the taijiya woman gave her did nothing to ease her worries, but Kagome trusted Sango well enough. She had wanted to take the older female shopping, but at the declaration of going out, Sango had strapped on her wakizashi and outright refused to leave without it. "Please?"

"Kagome…" She grinned, shook her head playfully at the miko, and murmured placatingly, "You don't need to worry so much."

"Its not really you I'm worried about… its whatever poor soul ticks you off," the miko replied dryly. Her palm pressed firmly against her forehead, Kagome could only sigh, shake her head, and lead the taijiya off the shrine grounds. "Don't blow up the shrine Miroku!"

He sighed and shook his head after the two departing females. "Destroy one toaster, and you just can't let it go."

A snicker escaped Shippo as he strolled outside and leaned casually against the counter that displayed the fake Shikon no Tama key chains. "Don't worry Kaa-san! I won't let bouzo here wreck the place…" He smirked, added, "Now Kouga… he's another matter entirely."

"Oi kit I'd watch your tongue," the wolf instantly protested.

"I'm over five hundred years old. I'm not a kit, Kouga."

The two were nose to nose in a very Inuyasha vs. Kouga fashion, and both nearly jumped out of their skin when the miko's holler met their ears.

"If you two so much as put a scratch on _anything_, you'll learn just how much power one _word_ can hold!"

The image of the multiple times Inuyasha had met the ground made the two gulp nervously, much to Miroku's amusement.

* * *

Arms laden with bags after bags of clothing, Kagome dragged Sango into the nearest mall café. She slid into a booth, dropped her load of bags on the floor at her feet and stretched her arms over her head in a very feline like manner.

"You can sit down Sango. I doubt a youkai is going to pop out of the wall and attack you." She craned her head to the side and adopted a thoughtful expression. "They seem to be secretive about their existence in this era…"

Sango sat down – though still hesitant to do so – and shifted herself to a comfortable position on the strange large 'futon'. "That doesn't really ease my nerves Kagome."

Kagome would agree without hesitation on that point. There was something far more unsettling about not being attacked daily than actually being attacked fifteen times within the hour.

_Fear of the unknown was always far worse than what could be expected._

"Higurashi-san?"

_Oh no..._

She slammed her head down on the table and plastered a grin on her face before picking it back up. "H-Hojo-kun…"

She listened to him go on about tickets to a movie for ten minutes straight, and knew it was time to end the one-sided conversation when Sango's left eye began to twitch. "Anou, Hojo-kun… Sango here just moved to Kyoto and I'm trying to show her around. Gomen nasai, but we already have plans. Rain check?"

If he wasn't so pathetically nice she would have long since scared the boy off. He was after all, only a _boy_, and Kagome both wanted and needed a _man._ A dejected look crossed his face –and she felt bad for a moment– before he offered an understanding smile and jogged from the restaurant.

"I can see why you try to avoid him…" Sango picked up the object Kagome had called a 'menu' and narrowed her eyes at the thing in scrutiny. She was one of the more learned people of the feudal era, but reading was still a rare skill amongst those who were not of noble decent.

"Would you like me to order for you?" Kagome had seen the trouble Sango was having, and offered an easy way out for the taijiya. "The black tea is good here… and you like udon, ne?"

The appreciative smile she got was all she needed. It gave her such a sense of usefulness that her heart nearly burst in her chest and she felt as if she should be the one thanking Sango. But she didn't say a word of the sort, not wanting to burden Sango with her own insecurities.

However, before either could say another word, they suddenly found themselves interrupted; loudly. "Oi, I remember you!"

The miko raised her menu in front of her face like a shield at the new arrival's volume as he all but materialized right beside their table, whilst Sango had snatched up the salt shaker and was prepared to launch said object at the speaker's head.

Another person apparently found this highly amusing, if the low chuckle was anything to go by. "Watch it, Yusuke. She's dangerous."

A snicker escaped her lips as Kagome slowly lowered her make-shift shield and looked at the two. He would never know just how true that statement was. As she regained her composure, Kagome realized that they were the same two men she had met earlier that week. She huffed, and blew her bangs from her face; it was a small damn world. She grinned though and glanced towards Sango – who had slowly placed the salt shaker back down – and then back to Yusuke. "Yeah, she kind of is."

"That, coming from you, scares me for some reason…" He grinned nonetheless and turned to introduce her to Kurama. Luckily, there was no need.

"You seem to be feeling better."

Her face flushed red at the way he looked at her, but Kagome nodded all the same. "Hai, arigatou gozaimasu."

So Kurama knew her. It didn't surprise him that the fox would have met a girl like her, but the thought left him with an uneasy feeling in his gut. In the next moment, though, he brushed it aside and continued trying to mooch off one of his best friends. "C'mon man, please? Just a few bucks and I'll leave ya alone."

"I think not Yusuke," Kurama responded for the fifth time, and smirked at him slightly. He gestured to the women at the booth. "I doubt the ladies here would enjoy experiencing the scenes that come of your dining in a public restaurant."

Yusuke opened his mouth to defend himself, but his attention was drawn back to the girl when she snorted at them. "You swallow a bug or something, Kag?"

Sango raised an eyebrow and turned her gaze to Kagome at the nickname. "Kag?"

She waved her hand dismissively at the taijiya and Yusuke both. "No. I'm not in the habit of dining on insects." She fished around in her pocket for a moment, then grabbed Yusuke's hand – effectively making him blush a subtle shade of red – and dumped a fair amount of yen in his outstretched palm. At the questioning glances she was being given, she shrugged at the redhead – she only just realized she never got his name – and leaned back in her seat casually. "I'm sure I've seen worse in terms of table manners… and I owe you for the tea."

Green eyes sparkled. "You don't need to pay me back," he pointed out, amused. "Least of all by giving Yusuke the means of trashing the place."

She raised an eyebrow, glanced at Yusuke, then back at the redhead and shrugged. "If he does I could always sic Sango on him."

"I'm not a dog Kagome…" She let one eye scan the male that was gaping indignantly at the miko. "But I could entertain you if I must."

Yusuke gulped, and took a rather large step back from the two. He took a breath and – in an attempt to steer the conversation away from his ass getting kicked – grinned victoriously at Kurama. "Looks like I don't need you after all! Money from a beautiful woman is much more rewarding."

Kurama snorted, then quirked a brow. "Ah, so you're in the habit of taking money from beautiful women? I see; perhaps I should keep you away from homeless shelters, ne?"

The comment made her uncomfortable, but she didn't say anything as it made her giggle too. She settled for being amused by it, rather than offended; said amusement lit a long forgotten fire in her eyes. "I suppose it says something for his masculinity… he's either got none… or is simply secure enough to be able to take the cash."

"K-Kag!"

The indignant way he gaped at her made another giggle bubble up her throat as she moved further into the booth. "Just sit down and order your food already. Having you stand there looming over us…" She trailed off and shook her head. "Just sit down."

He needed no further encouragement and plopped right down next to her while he told the waitress his order. The redhead – she _still_ hadn't gotten his name, not that she'd asked – sat beside Sango, as Kagome ordered for her and her sister figure. Their food arrived fifteen minutes later. She was right, she _had_ seen worse. While he did indeed make a decent sized mess, she had dealt with far worse when it came to Inuyasha's table manners –or lack thereof– and as a result it did not bother her. Instead she only laughed and stared at what he was shoveling in his mouth. "What _are_ you eating?"

"A'mon gri an ho'sauss."

She blinked, and then offered him a bland look. "Swallow first."

"I did warn you," the redhead inserted with a frown in Yusuke's direction.

She rolled her eyes at him – though she was thankful that he at least was a bit more tactful in eating – and put a few more inches between herself and Yusuke as she turned back to the man when she heard him gulp.

"I said, salmon onigiri and hot sauce," Yusuke responded with a grin.

Sango cringed but said nothing, and Kagome raised an eyebrow. "And… you call that food?"

He sported an offended expression. "What's wrong with it?"

She shrugged, a skeptical look on her face. "It's just… weird."

"Is not!"

Sango sighed and sank into her seat as she watched the two. "And they're off…" She'd heard the term on television – after Kagome had convinced her that the appliance wasn't going to attack – and it seemed to suit the situation rather aptly. Her gaze was drawn from one to the other, back and forth, back and forth, back and- they were making her dizzy.

"Oi…oi...minna. Oi!" she shouted, and tossed a balled-up napkin at Yusuke. "Shut up already." Two sets of eyes spun to stare at her as she calmly lifted a noodle to her lips. She blatantly ignored the two and returned to a leisurely meal.

Kagome huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, then glanced at Yusuke through the corners of her eyes. "It's still weird."

**

* * *

**

Kagome was damn near floating when she got home, and was only slightly aware of the taijiya walking at her side. The outing had done her a world of good. She was sent crashing back to earth from cloud nine, however, when a pair of arms latched around her waist. "Shippo-chan?"

"Where the hell were you just now?" he asked, as he grinned much like the fox he truly was. "You didn't see me coming at all, did you?"

She flushed when Sango nudged her in the ribs and Shippo raised a knowing eyebrow – damn his kitsune instincts! – and averted her gaze towards the Goshinboku as she shifted where she stood. "I don't know…"

Sango gave her a bland look that very much mirrored Shippo's own expression. "Sure, Kagome…" The taijiya turned to Shippo and spoke rather casually. "She's daydreaming about one of those youkai she ran into." She raised her eyebrows into her hairline. "Or… both?"

"Sango!" The miko opened her mouth to defend herself but Shippo cut her off with a snicker.

"Gee, Kaa-san… here I thought _I _was the kitsune," he teased.

"You- you guys!" she squeaked indignantly.

Immediately, Kouga was there, as he stepped up beside her and threw a casual arm around her shoulders. "Are you two harassing my woman?" he demanded, a playful glare pinned on each of them.

"What would ever give you that idea?" Shippo asked innocently, as an equally innocent expression covered his face; far too innocent an expression for a fox.

Kouga snorted. "I don't know… perhaps because she's a brighter shade of red than the mutt's haori?"

Kagome buried her face in the palms of her hands and shook her head in mock despair. She listened to them go back and forth for a few moments before she snuck away into their shared home. She waved at Miroku as he welcomed her home, then slunk upstairs in hopes of a nice long bath. She grabbed a change of clothes, stripped, and sunk into the steaming hot water with a relieved sigh. She could still hear them bantering downstairs but it brought a grin to her face. When a crash rattled the house she was only able to chuckle at the scream that followed.

"Hentai!"

**

* * *

**

**A/N: Here's to all of you who've read and reviewed so far and especially for those who have added me to their favorite's lists. Arigatou gozaimasu minna! And special thanks goes out to my new, wonderful beta The Sorrowful Vampress. She's a great author herself so check out her work!**


	4. Jubilation

_**Arachnophobia**_

**A/N: I am trying my hardest for you all! Now that I have my first four tests behind me – I still have midterms to contend with (isn't college fun?) – I'm going to see what I can do about updating for all you wonderful readers. On a side note, this chapter has not been reviewed by a beta - once it has I will simply replace the chapter and let you know in the next if that has happened or not.  
**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: I'm just going to be blunt this time… ownership = nothing! This is Fanfiction, emphasis on **_**fan**_**.**

_**Note: Beta'd & reposted - April 13th 2010**_

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* * *

**

A grin on her face, Kagome plucked a few boxes of cereal and other food items from the shelf in front of her. Her new housemates certainly could eat. She'd been in a particularly good mood since that lunch the other day with Kurama and Yusuke and it seemed nothing could bring it down. Which was probably a good thing. Absently, she hummed a pop song she'd heard on the radio and continued her valiant search for food. "Arashi no umi ni utarete makeso na ima wo. Furiharae ai wo mitsumete kono mune ni…"

"Higurashi-san!"

"Oh, not again…" the miko muttered under her breath so as not to offend the boy –he really was so pathetically nice – and plastered a grin on her face. "Hojo-kun!"

He invited himself to walk with her as she continued on with her grocery shopping, and still she could only grin politely; it wasn't in her to be particularly mean to anyone without reason, and even then she could barely do so. Sango had told her once that she was far too nice for her own good; she was beginning to believe it.

He followed her through the checkout, and continued to ramble on even as she walked down the road, arms laden once more with bags.

"So I have these tickets for a premier this weekend, and you seem to be so much healthier lately, Higurashi-san! Would you like to go?" he finally asked.

She almost cringed and began trying to think of a way out of it. "Ano… Hojo-kun, I… well-" The miko blinked when an arm was lazily thrown over her shoulders.

"She's already got a date."

As she turned around to see who it was that had come to her rescue, Kagome grinned upon seeing Yusuke. She turned back to Hojo and nodded affirmatively. It made her curious though, the way Hojo had blanched as if he'd seen a youkai –though he really had when she thought of it– but she didn't press it. The boy stuttered out a nervous "o-okay, maybe next time" and bolted.

Grinning widely, Kagome spun around and –mindful of her groceries– wrapped her arms around the man that had saved her.

"Arigato! Arigato, arigato, arigato!" She pulled away from him, blushed and adjusted the weight of her bags with a grin. "How can I thank you for saving me?"

Yusuke grinned at her and shrugged nonchalantly. "Eh…going to the movies with me is thanks enough."

She blinked rapidly and took a step back to look at him. "You… were serious?"

It had never occurred to her that someone –aside from Koga with his possessiveness, but that didn't count– could actually want _her_ or that he could have meant anything by it aside from helping her escape Hojo. He'd caught her completely off guard.

Yusuke stared at her for a moment, and briefly he wondered why she thought he wouldn't have been serious; indeed it had been a spur of the moment thing, but he'd been completely genuine in the request. "Well, yeah of course, Kag."

It took her a moment to process the idea and she only noticed vaguely that he'd taken a few of her bags. Once she did process what he'd said, she grinned and nodded. "Hai! I can leave Sango in charge of the shrine… its not like it's anything new to Miroku."

He made a mental note that she had mentioned a shrine, but put it to the back of his mind and cleared his throat to stop her rambling, despite how cute it was to see her do so. "Pick you up around eight?"

"Oh! Yeah, you know where the Sunset shrine is, ne?" A nod in the affirmative made her grin. She snatched her grocery bags back from him and shifted their weight a bit before she turned to leave. "Arigato, Yusuke-kun, see you at eight!"

Before he could utter another word she tore off down the sidewalk; well damn if she couldn't run fast. Nonetheless he grinned and rubbed the back of his neck as he watched her vanish from sight.

* * *

"Tadaima!" Kagome called. She had damn near flown up the steps of the shrine –and that was a feat in and of itself– and flew just as quickly to the front door. She left a slack-jawed Kouga in her wake –as he'd come out to greet her– and shoved her bags into Shippo's arms as he met her at the door. "Here Shippo, be a good boy and put the groceries away, ne?"

"I'm not a kit, Kaa-san!" she heard him call as she began to climb the stairs to her room and threw a response over her shoulder.

"You're still putting them away, Shippo-chan!"

The kitsune grumbled but did as told; he loved the miko far too much to do much else but listen to her. He owed her that much, if not more.

* * *

Kagome hummed happily to herself as she threw piece after piece of clothing from her closet onto her bed. She'd taken a nice long shower and the hot water had done her sore muscles a world of good; Sango had demanded her to keep up her skills and made her train three hours straight.

Having finally decided on an outfit, Kagome set about putting on a light layer of silver eye shadow and a subtle shade of pink lip gloss. She wasn't a particular fan of make-up but the slight touch she did approve of was good enough. She studied herself in the mirror for a moment and nodded her approval. She wasn't as pretty as Kikyo, but it would do.

As she walked by the staircase her ears caught the sound of a knock; she checked the clock. It was only seven-thirty. Supposing he might be early she spun on her heel to rush downstairs, and even more to prevent the clash that would happen should Kouga answer the door to Yusuke.

"I got it!" As she rushed down the stairs, Kagome leapt over the final three steps -somehow landing firmly on her feet- and pulled the front door open. The man who stood there took her breath away and the miko faulted for a moment before she grinned so widely it looked painful. "Sesshomaru-sama!"

The look he gave her -though he would have appeared rather blank to those that didn't know him- did not sit well and her gut churned uneasily.

Kagome almost cried. "This isn't just a social visit is it? He... he's back isn't he?"

He said nothing, but the miko knew.

Only vaguely aware of her housemates gathering behind her, Kagome nearly collapsed to her knees; she would have, had Kouga and Shippo not grabbed onto her, one holding each arm. Even after all they had been through, even after all their losses, it had been for nothing.

_The spider had returned once more._

"So that's it? It was all for nothing?"

Sango walked over to the miko, and put a firm –though still comforting– hand on the younger female's shoulder. "That's not true, Kagome... he no longer has the Shikon."

Kouga snorted and hefted Kagome up to lean on him. "Listen to the taijiya, Kagome. Besides… it's not like he can kill you guys this time. You were made immortal, ne?"

She turned to look at the wolf and the sad look in her eyes could have made him cry had he been anyone else –except of course for Sesshomaru– and he almost flinched. "There are worse things in life than death…"

The eerie silence that followed lasted a long few moments before a knock on the door was heard. Kagome looked up from where she'd been tucked against Kouga's chest and straightened herself out when the familiar tickle of Yusuke's youki made itself known.

"Hello? Kag?" The door had been wide open and he'd seen what seemed to be something particularly ominous; if the tears that his date was wiping from her face wasn't a clue, the somber expressions the rest of them wore was. That, and the tension in the air was so thick that cutting it with a knife would have even been a challenge.

"Konbanwa, Yusuke!"

She acted way too happy for it to be real, but he didn't push it lest he make her cry again; he couldn't deal with crying women.

Kouga pursed his lips into a frown as he eyed the male. The boy –and to him he _was _a boy – wasn't as particularly skilled in hiding what he was as Sesshomaru, the kit, and himself, but all the same it was obvious he'd some sort of training.

"Who's the kid Kagome?"

Yusuke frowned and crossed his arms over his chest as he eyed the man. "What's it to you?"

Kouga made to growl at the boy and Kagome, sensing the imminent danger of the two butting heads, pulled away from the wolf and walked over to her date with a grin. "Don't mind him… he's a bit…protective." She had been about to say 'possessive' but as she knew Yusuke was a youkai –and currently interested– she was certain that wouldn't have gone over well.

"M-matte… Kagome!"

"See you guys later! Shippo-chan, try to keep Koga from throwing a fit, ne?"

"Oi!" Kouga scowled at the miko's back but at the pinning stare the taiyokai gave him, he shut his mouth. He had to let her go, and he would –even if he didn't want to– if it would help her happiness. Even so, he would be there the second she needed him.

* * *

Kagome could feel his eyes on her as they walked –the theater was close enough to the shrine to go by foot, and they both had enough endurance– and it was beginning to unnerve her.

"So Kag-" He stopped and raised an eyebrow when she jumped at the sound of his voice. "Daijobu desu ka?"

"Ah, y-yeah… I'm fine!" She waved her hands dismissively, one of the fakest smiles he'd ever seen plastered to her face.

"You sure?"

"Absolutely! So-what are we seeing again?"

He raised an eyebrow then shrugged. He hadn't really thought about that; most girls liked to choose the movie. "Well… I don't know what's out. You choose."

"I don't know what's out either! I've been-" she almost slipped. "I've been out of town for quite awhile."

They went back and forth on who would choose until they reached their destination. "Alright, alright… you got some change Yusuke?"

"Er… yeah?" He fished around in his pocket for a moment before pulling out a coin. He handed it to her, shoved his hands back into his pockets and watched her curiously.

"Call it."

Instinctively, his eyes followed the coin as it tumbled through the air and he caught on to what she was doing. "Heads."

"And the verdict is… tails! Now you choose!" Hands on her hips Kagome tapped her foot, and jutted her lip out at him in a playful pout. She grinned victoriously and followed him inside after he'd grabbed their tickets.

* * *

Of all the things he had to pick from, it had to be a horror film. Granted it had cheesy effects and she'd seen far worse in the feudal era but the news she'd received from Sesshomaru had shaken her worse than she'd realized. So instead, she focused her attention on the large popcorn in her lap.

Yusuke dared a glance at her once more and frowned at her obvious discomfort; it didn't seem to be because of the movie too much either. In fact she seemed to be worlds away from the film entirely. He shrugged it off though, not about to think much on it; he didn't know many girls that enjoyed horror films, but she seemed so different –that and everything besides some romance comedy had been sold out– that he hadn't thought much of it. With a sigh, he leaned back into his seat and casually slid his arm over the back of hers.

She shrieked and the popcorn went flying. It landed on his head with a 'thunk' and he blinked at his sudden loss of vision. "Eh…Kag?"

"Gomen!" It was a whisper, but sounded frantic all the same. She pried the empty bucket from his head and leaned over to wipe the pieces of popcorn from his hair. "I'm so sorry…"

He grinned good-naturedly and gave her shoulder a little squeeze. "S'ok. No harm done. I'm a little buttery now but I've been worse."

She smiled and the expression made his heart both jump and twist in pain; despite the smile she still looked so sad.

By the end of the movie, he'd caught her crying about three times; he'd credited the first time to her being frightened by something to do with the film, but it was obvious this wasn't the case. As they walked out of the theater, he sighed and glanced at her again. She was pressed up against him so hard he was surprised she hadn't melded with his person. "Want some food Kag?"

Kagome tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her hand shaking as she did so, and nodded with a quiet, "Hai."

Yusuke nodded and led her to a local Wacdonalds. It was about fifteen minutes later, as they sat in silence, Yusuke watching Kagome poke at her food without really eating it, that he spoke up. "Ya know, Kag… even _I _know that food is for eating."

She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips and nodded as she took a bite. Her stomach turned at the sudden intrusion of food, but quickly settled; her nerves really had been frayed.

She was sitting right next to him but still seemed worlds away from him. Someone dropped their tray and she jumped for the umpteenth time that night. Luckily, there had been nothing in her hands at the time and so he was spared from wearing her burger or shake. "Kag… you sure you're alright?" he asked skeptically.

"I'm ok- just… jumpy, I guess." Kagome lowered her hand from where she'd been clutching at her heart and took a calming sip of her milkshake. Her own shakes calmed a good deal from the cold liquid.

"You guess?" He raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Ok, ok… I'm jumpier than a three-year-old on a sugar high."

"Amen to that." She threw a piece of lettuce in his face and he peeled it off with a grin. It was far more settling to have her in that kind of mood than what he'd seen her in the entire night; he still had to find out what had happened to make her like that. It was his own personal mission to do so, he decided.

The rest of the meal went relatively nicely. She jumped a few more times but far less than she had before. He walked her home, an arm draped lazily yet securely around her shoulders; Yusuke noted that she seemed less jumpy when he held her, and was more than happy to comply.

Kagome noted that Sesshomaru was still there and was brought back to the current situation. She sighed and turned to Yusuke with a weak smile. "Gomen… I know I was a bit…distant tonight. Forgive me?"

She batted her eyes at him like a playful child, and Yusuke couldn't help the grin that broke out on his face. "Hm… I'll have to think about it… how about I give you the verdict when I pick you up on Saturday?"

Her head shot up and wide blue eyes stared at him in shock. "You want a second date?"

Yusuke rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I'm not gonna give up going out with you just because you bathed me in popcorn…" He smirked at her flush of embarrassment and placed a light kiss on her lips.

Kagome froze for a moment, hesitantly kissed back, then scurried away from him, her face six shades of red. "Y-Yusuke…"

She smiled and he nearly cheered when, for the first time that night, the expression reached her eyes. "Arigato, Yusuke. Oyasumi nasai."

She gave him a kiss back –on the cheek but still nice– and he grinned wolfishly as she disappeared inside. "Oyasumi, Kag."

* * *

Smiling so wide it hurt, Kagome walked inside, ignored the gaping looks of the four that had been spying on her, and strode upstairs to get ready for bed. Even with the news Sesshomaru had brought, she was comfortable enough to sleep. As it was, the taiyoukai remained right downstairs and didn't seem to be in any hurry to leave.

Once in her pajamas, Kagome plopped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling with a grin. Closing her eyes in contentment, she rolled onto her side and dozed off with a sense of security she hadn't felt in far too long a time.

She would worry about dealing with the interrogation that was sure to follow in the morning. For now, she was happier than she'd been in quite awhile.

Someone liked her for her. He didn't know she was a miko, nor did he know she was the guardian of the Shikon; at least she was pretty sure he didn't know. Even so, such an idea made her happy.

For now she would let herself be happy.

* * *

**A/N: ****So I stayed up until 4am writing this for you guys and I broke the record for my longest chapter ever (and this is without the Author Notes). Thirteen pages people! That's three more than my self-appointed minimum! Maybe you all can forgive me for my erratic update schedule now? Hope you all enjoyed- now I am off to study for yet another test and finish two rather large projects. Gotta love school huh?**

**I hope you all enjoyed - I enjoyed writing this chapter. Yusuke and Kagome are far too cute to pass up... but let me know what you think. I only posted this chapter to make you guys happy and I have to dedicate this chapter to the person that harrassed me into posting it. This chapter is officially dedicated to Icyfire-MikoDemon. She's a wonderful author and the person who gave me back my flare for writing fanfiction in the first place.**

**Translation Notes:**

*Arashi no umi ni utarete makesou na ima wo. Furiharae ai wo mitsumete kono mune ni

**An excerpt from a song called 'Kodou' from the anime 'Mermaid Melody Pure'. Kodou loosely translated means perfect beat or harmony. Translated loosely, it is as follows:**

_Struck by the stormy sea it seems as though we'll lose now, we wash off that feeling and look for love in our hearts._

**Tadaima – a common greeting when returning home, translates as 'I've returned' or 'I'm back'**

**Konbanwa – good evening**

**Daijoubu desu ka – the 'u' in desu is silent and pronounced as 'dess', translates loosely as 'are you alright?'**

**Gomen – I doubt I need to put this one in, but just to be thorough- it's an informal manner of saying 'I'm sorry'. Its formal counterpart is 'Sumimasen'.**

**Oyasumi nasai – good night**

**I think I got them all- if I didn't, well that's what review replies are for. Now aren't you all glad I took Japanese as a college course? Ja ne minna!**

**-CherryBlossomLove  
**


	5. Competition

_**Arachnophobia**_

**A/N: I am trying my hardest for you all! Now that I have five tests behind me – I still have midterms to contend with (isn't college fun?) – I'm going to see what I can do about updating for all you wonderful readers. The previous chapter remains to be reviewed by a beta, and this one has been previewed by Icyfire-MikoDemon.**

**First though, I am going to get a few things out in the air here. **_**Yes **_**this is a Kagome/Kurama fic, and **_**yes**_** she was with Yusuke in the last chapter. But as you all can tell this story is going to carry on for a bit and many, **_**many**_** things can happen.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: I'm just going to be blunt this time… ownership = nothing! This is Fanfiction, emphasis on **_**fan**_**.

* * *

**

"Kurama I swear man, I've never seen someone so… so much of a freakin' nervous wreck!"

"You don't think it had anything to do with your choosing of a horror film?" a skeptic eyebrow raised at the retelling of the detective's date with the smaller female, and the avatar had to resist the primal urge to growl and warn the boy off from the girl. However it went far too against his composed demeanor to lower himself to such childish actions.

_=We saw her first Red…=_

Indeed, childish was a rather appropriate word for the kitsune that sulked in the back of his mind. He showed no outward sign of his inner turmoil –so to speak– and instead sipped at his tea as the detective continued to ramble on.

_=I am curious…what ails our female?=_

"She dumped a bucket of popcorn on my head she was so freaked!"

Lips quirked upward in amusement, Kurama craned his head back to look at his friend.

"And I see you haven't bothered to shower since then… you still reek of butter." A grumble met his ears and the redhead had to strain to hear it. "Come again?"

"I did shower!" the indignant shout not only made his ears ring, but Kurama noted that several patrons turned to stare. The detective noticed the stares after a moment, and sunk down into his chair with a bright red hue coloring his face.

"You're so loud Yusuke…"

Once more, a grumble was his only reply.

* * *

It was a mere hour later that the two of them met up with the last current member of their group. Not two seconds after they'd entered the park the third member of their team all but materialized before them.

He scrutinized the detective for a moment before the boy noticed and scowled back at him. "Hn… you reek of butter."

"Aw c'mon! You too?" Yusuke sighed dramatically, flopped over the back of the bench he'd taken temporary residence of, and groaned. "Its not my fault she was so freaked!"

"This coming from the man that chose a horror movie on the first date?"

"Oh shut up… you're just irritable 'cause she's with me and not you."

Green eyes flashed gold, as Kurama turned and pinned his _friend_ with a half hearted glare. "I suggest, Yusuke, that you watch your tongue."

_=So it's a fight he wants…=_

Hiei watched the banter for a few moments longer –or attempt at banter on Yusuke's part– before he grew bored, though paradoxically he remained amused by the scene. It wasn't everyday that the fox was given a run for his money when it came to attracting females, least of all by the detective.

_-Competition fox?-_

_=From Yusuke? Never!=_

_/Don't be so sure…Kagome seems to enjoy his company. /_

_=Once she grasps how enjoyable our company can be, she will come to realize which of us the better choice is. Now get off your ass and move it. Yusuke said something about our female living on Sunset shrine did he not? Find her.=_

It was the second time since they'd met the human woman that they agreed on something –particularly dealing with women– and Kurama stood, simply to leave a shouting Yusuke, and an ever silent Hiei behind him.

* * *

"I dumped popcorn on his head! A whole bucket!" the miko buried her face into her hands and shook her head despairingly. "Oh Sango I'm so pathetic…"

"Pathetic? No… pathetic is the way Miroku goes after women…" a few incoherent grumbles were heard before the slayer woman became focused again. "Now come on Kagome… stop tormenting yourself. You were so happy last night!"

A smile twisted her lips as the miko gained a wistful expression. "I was wasn't I?"

"Happier than I can remember seeing you in a long time…"

"I guess…"

Sango stared at her little sister figure for a moment, a bland expression on her face. "How is it that you can be so utterly aware of what makes other people happy…and be so oblivious to what makes you happy at the same time?"

"Um…I don't know?"

"Sometimes Kagome… you are just as dense as Inuyasha."

"Oi! No need to insult me." The miko crossed her arms with an indignant huff and sunk further into the lawn chair she'd claimed only moments prior to their interesting –and rather embarrassing– conversation.

She opened her mouth to say something else when the familiar trickle of youki nudged at her senses. It was far more subtle and demure than Yusuke's, but bold in its own right. It took her a moment to discern who it was, but his presence confused her. She couldn't fathom why Kurama would have come out to the shrine to spy on her –and she knew he was spying with the eyes she could feel boring into the back of her skull – but she wasn't about to ponder on the idea either. He was a fox as far as she could tell, and it was dangerous to try to figure out such creatures; they were the natural strategists of youkai, and the idea of a human figuring out the mind of a kitsune was much like that of an ice cube being able to cool an active volcano. It simply was not possible.

As she took note that Sango had fallen into practicing a set of katas, Kagome shrugged and headed back inside to start on dinner, as she was quite content to leave the kitsune to spy; the others would surely sense him if she could, and would be cautious on what they spoke of.

"Oi Kaa-" the kitsune froze, gave a testing sniff of the air and frowned. "Kagome… what… um… Kagome?"

"It's ok Shippo." She winked at the auburn haired fox and turned her attention back to the food she'd been preparing.

He frowned at her and crossed his arms over his chest as if to scold her. "You do realize… just what you are..." he paused to search for the right words, "...getting mixed up in?"

"I didn't invest five years in our last project to come out just as naïve as before I started." She smiled at his concern, but didn't look up from what she was doing.

"I know Kagome. We all know. Even Inuyasha."

She stumbled at that, but retained her happy smile all the same. "Ah, well set the table, will you?"

He huffed and blew a strand of hair from his face, but nodded all the same. As he thought on what one of his kind might be doing at the shrine, each time he tested a theory it only came back to one of two things; this fox wanted his mother, or the jewel.

Shippo would not stand for that. As he was raised by Sesshomaru in Kagome's absence, he was more than ready and willing to take care of anyone that dared threaten her.

* * *

He'd watched curiously –as such was the nature of a fox– as Kagome had interacted with her evident housemates. It drove his curiosity to even greater heights at the katas the other woman had begun to drill. He hadn't seen such a style of martial arts in well over five hundred years. He was drawn from his thoughts when he caught the sound of her footsteps nearing her room. As he peered through the leaves of the tree he'd claimed as his hiding spot –the Goshinboku he had heard it addressed as– and patiently he awaited her reaction.

Kagome strolled into her room with her arms stretched over her head, and let out a sigh of relief at the familiar surroundings. She was confident in Shippo enough to leave him with the meal that was simmering on the stove –he wasn't Inuyasha or Kouga after all– and decided she had to change. Even before she'd spilt the vegetable oil on her clothing, she'd gotten the poor attire rather beat up by Sango's drilling. Ever since news of Naraku's return, Sango had insisted on drilling the art of the taijiya into her head; and she drilled said art into her head harder than she'd done to Miroku. A giggle escaped her lips at the comparison, but the sound died in her throat at the sight that caught her eyes.

A single red rose, lay all alone on her window sill.

Instantly, she knew who it had been. Shippo had often told her of a kitsune's relationship to plants and other such things of nature. That and, she realized, she could feel traces of his youki lacing the flower. Knowing he was still there and likely listening for her response, she grinned and carefully plucked the flower from its perch to twirl it between her thumb and forefinger. "Mou… I don't know why, but you remind me of Kurama-kun…"

With that, she turned around, and promptly screamed. There, carved into the headboard of her bed was a spider.

_The same spider, which marked the back of Onigumo._

Rapid footfalls echoed after her cry of terror, but she'd already sunk to her knees; her right hand clenched the rose tightly, and she was only vaguely aware of the blood that trickled from between her fingers.

"Kagome?!"

Sango had rushed in, a hand on the hilt of her wakizashi and appeared ready to strike anything that seemed out of place. Miroku had been hot on her heels, staff at the ready as well as an ofuda in the opposite hand. Kouga and Shippo presented a more out of place comical feel to the scene, as the wolf had appeared behind the first two, with Shippo on his back in attempts to clamber into the room at the same time.

All she could do was shakily raise her left hand, to point at the source of her fright. "He… he was here…"

Sesshomaru, after he had shoved the wolf and kitsune out of his way, strode calmly over to gaze at the sight. He observed it for a moment, then spun on his heel and walked back out the door. He paused once and glanced back at the miko, the member of his pack that needed the most protection despite her growing skill. "You are not to spend the night in this room."

That said he left, knowing full well that they understood the full implications of the rare words he'd spoken.

Kouga gave a low guttural growl and crossed his arms over his chest with a huff. "Well fuck…"

Shippo watched as the wolf went through mumbling a series of curses, the monk rubbed his hand anxiously –despite having gained full control of the deadly curse– and almost laughed at the multitude of threats –promises would have been a better word he supposed– that Sango had begun to mutter under her breath. It might have been an amusing sight, had the situation not been so dire.

With a grunt that was simply a statement of his time spent with Inuyasha, he walked over to his mother and promptly plucked her from the ground. She had time barely to usher out a squeak of surprise, as he draped her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Sesshomaru said to leave the room… I'm assuming for a reason. So why the hell were you just sitting there like an idiot?"

An indignant huff met his ears, and he had to grin at the sound. If she was well enough to be indignant over such a comment, then she hadn't been shaken _too _badly. All the same they had all been shaken by such an event. As he heaved an exasperated sigh, he maneuvered the woman on his shoulder, and then went on to dump her on the guest bed. She landed with a squeak, he feigned wiping dust off his hands, and gave her a fanged smirk; there was no worry of anyone seeing such a thing as there was but one window to the room, and it was blocked by blackout curtains. "Glare at me all you want, you didn't get off your ass fast enough… think I was going to leave you sitting there with _that _in the room?"

As she glared up at her son, Kagome couldn't help the warmth that stirred in her chest. Despite his demeanor, she could not help feeling the love that came from him all the same. "You act just like Inuyasha… I'll have to beat him into the ground a few times for influencing you that much…"

A snort was her reply. "I can think perfectly fine on my own thank you… and don't compare me to that baka. He does have a brain, but see, I actually _use _mine." He steeled his features and sat down beside her. "Now… you know that's not what we need to talk about."

Her head hung in defeat, and she sighed. "Yeah… yeah I know."

* * *

"She's _**what?!**_" Yusuke had just walked out of the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist and one rubbing at his head when his friend –and current competition– had burst in through his balcony, eyes rimmed red in an anger he'd never seen displayed by the avatar in such a manner. Only seconds after he'd opened his mouth to question what the hell had happened, was he cut off with the answer to the unspoken question.

"_She's being stalked."_

He'd leapt into a pair of clean boxers and a pair of jeans quickly enough after his outburst, and strode back into the living room to gaze at his friend. It was at that moment that they reached a mutual understanding; even if it was only from a human stalker, they would protect her. She was after all, theirs for the time being, whether she knew it or not. "So… who do I need to pound exactly?"

"Curious, that. There was no scent left behind."

"What? How is that possible?" Yusuke could only stare incredulously at his long time friend and teammate, a strange sense of dread at the words he had just processed. "Never mind, I don't care how it's possible… I'm gonna find 'em and beat the living crap out of 'im anyway."

A pregnant silence followed shortly after and was only broken by the near inaudible sigh of the redhead. "You still reek of butter, you know."

* * *

**A/N: Things are beginning to get started in the drama section of the story ne? I hope you guys enjoyed. I had two hours in between classes so I decided I'd give it a try, and what do ya know, my muse decided to take pity on me. See? You guys know I love you **_**now**_** right? It wasn't quite as long my longest chapter but I feel that certainly more happened over the course of this chapter. It's 11 pages on MSWord without the ANs so I still beat my minimum (even if just by one page).**

**I don't think I need to translate anything this chapter. If I missed anything though, just ask me in a review (see there's this marvelous**** little **** thing called 'review reply' now) and I'll clear it up, promise!**

**Ja ne minna!**

**-CherryBlossomLove**


	6. Protection

_**Arachnophobia**_

**A/N: I stayed up for hours on end to get this to you guys. You're all such wonderful readers & reviewers, you deserve it! On a side note, this chapter has not been reviewed by a beta.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Say it with me people. FANfiction… **_**FAN**_**fiction. Notice the emphasis?**

* * *

It was dark. It was such a profound darkness, that she couldn't see so much as her hand in front of her face. Kagome shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. She'd never liked the dark. "Minna?"

Nothing.

"Sango?"

Nothing.

"Kouga, Miroku, Shippo!"

A slight echo, and then nothing.

"Sesshomaru…I-Inuyasha?"

"Inuyasha? No…but I was once a hanyou."

Frozen in place, Kagome stiffly turned to face the one that had answered her. She had begun to miss the solitude. "Naraku…"

He was all she could make out in the darkness, and she flinched back when his hand reached out to caress her face. The movement did her no good, and she could only cringe when his hand came in contact with her cheek.

"Hai, my dear miko. It is I."

"D-don't touch me…" it hadn't come out as commanding as she would have liked, and the grin that resulted on his visage sent a sense of dread through her.

_He pulled her closer._

She cried out as she was pulled thrush against his chest, and she shuddered at the faux tenderness of his stroking her hair.

"Why my miko… you act as if you fear me."

"Don't touch me." She'd broken the paralysis and pushed against his chest; this action earned her a deep throated growl. He hadn't expected her to break his spell so soon it seemed. "Don't touch me!"

A flash of pure white light was all she saw before he vanished. The sound of her own scream echoed through her ears, and her vision was slowly filled with the sight of the guest room she'd been moved into. _'A dream?'_

She had no time to ponder it before her housemates piled into the room. A sense of déjà vu assaulted her but she brushed it off. Vaguely she noted Sesshomaru's presence by her window, and the dead Saimyosho in his hand.

"How could he have gotten in? Didn't the bozu here put up wards?" Kouga thrust his thumb over his shoulder at the monk in question, an irritated scowl in place. "Wouldn't those damn things have kept 'em out?"

"No." all eyes turned to the kitsune who had spoken. "Not if Naraku is using a human puppet. He had other means of control aside from the Shikon, and if he's truly been alive these five hundred years he's bound to have learned some new tricks."

The taijiya sighed and crossed her arms over her chest as she shook her head. "He's getting too close. Even with the limitation set by the barrier… he was able to reach us."

* * *

As she sipped a cup of chamomile tea –she silently thanked Kurama for turning her onto the herbal remedy– Kagome drummed her fingers anxiously against the top of the kitchen table. It was eerily quiet, as nobody dared to utter a word despite the uneasy silence. They'd yet to discuss any plans of retaliation, and she was thankful for that; she wasn't ready to talk of such things. The miko watched as her adopted son teetered his chair back and forth. After watching the action for a good five minutes she growled in aggravation. "Stop that… you're making me dizzy and my head's spinning enough already."

The chair was righted with a clatter, followed by a gruff string of muffled curses that only served to make her miss Inuyasha.

"So…what do we do?" Kagome licked her lips as she awaited an answer and supposed it was a painful sense of irony that she was the one to begin the conversation they didn't want to have, but desperately needed.

"You, miko…will do nothing. You will keep your weapons on you and one of us will be nearby at all times. That is all."

Kagome gaped at Sesshomaru but said nothing. He hadn't lived so long, and become a powerful taiyoukai by making foolish mistakes. "Hai…"

"Are you insane?! We can't just sit here and do nothing while Naraku plays us like a fuckin' samisen!"

The miko giggled at the expression but only continued to sip her tea; leave it to Kouga to give her a good laugh in the most dire of situations.

Finally, Shippo grew tired of the wolf's aimless ranting. "Kouga."

"What kit?" the wolf nearly shut his mouth then and there at the fierce stare the fox was giving him; he expected no less though, seeing that Sesshomaru raised the kit.

"Have you ever played Chess, Kouga?"

As he glanced at the red fox warily Kouga grunted a quiet response. "Occasionally…"

"Have you ever won?"

"…no." cobalt eyes narrowed in further suspicion and Kouga nearly lost the staring contest then and there.

"Know why?" before the wolf could answer Shippo shrugged his shoulders and craned his head to the side. "I've had the…opportunity of playing with you once or twice… you rush into a full on offensive. Still don't know why you always lose?"

"Damn it, get to the point already kit!"

"That! That right there! That haste is going to get one of us killed, captured, or thrown back to the damn makai!" Shippo took a breath to calm himself, lest he become hypocrite to the message he was trying to get through the wolf's thick skull. "The person with the patience to wait the other one out usually wins."

The wolf only gave him a blank stare so he sighed. "I'll put it in layman's terms. We stay on the defensive, keep our guard up, and wait for Naraku to do something stupid."

"You really think Naraku's dumb enough to do something like that?" the skeptic reply given made Shippo want to put a hole in the wall.

"Naraku's not perfect…hell, perfection is only a concept…how do you think we managed to get this far? We have the tama… he doesn't have one single shard. That's victory enough for now I'd say. So we wait."

A pregnant silence ensued soon after, only broken moments later by the awkward –and obviously fake- coughing of the miko.

"Sesshomaru-sama has taught you well it seems, Shippo." The monk spoke calmly as ever, though said calm tone was contradicted as he anxiously rubbed the beads around his right hand.

Shippo scoffed, crossed his arms back over his chest, and tilted his head back to gaze more fully at the monk. "Naturally."

* * *

A week had passed since the mental assault and the stillness that had followed suit only served to put Kagome on edge. As such, it was when she was carrying a tray of tea into the living room that there was a loud knock on the door. She shrieked and the poor tea set never stood a chance. The resulting shatter of the unfortunate china let loose such commotion one would have thought a gun had been set off.

The door slid open with much hesitance and Yusuke peered in cautiously; he was knocked off his feet before he could so much as blink. The first thing he noticed was the pair of black boots in front of his nose, and slowly he managed to connect them to a man with long silver hair that was tied into a neat ponytail at the nape of his neck; something about this man sent his nerves screaming to high heaven though. His gaze travelled over to the irate Sango that had knocked him over, and finally landed on a panting Kagome. "Um… did I come at a bad time Kag?"

"Yu-Yusuke! What are you doing here?"

"Apparently dodging food again…"

When he pointed at Sango with a raised eyebrow, Kagome grinned nervously and rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "Sorry about that… we had a…break-in the other night. Sango's a bit on the defensive side."

Yusuke frowned at her and crossed his arms. "You forgot we had a date didn't you?"

"Oh _no…_" Kagome groaned and hung her head; she'd completely forgotten that little detail.

"You still want to go or-"

"No! I mean yes! I mean-" she took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "Yeah… I'll go."

"Tch, no wonder she's such a nervous wreck what with some runt breaking into the house like that."

Yusuke turned his gaze to the taller raven-haired male and frowned again. "Do I look like a robber?"

"No." that gruff man with the long black hair drew the attention of the room and Yusuke scowled at him; he sensed a 'but' in that overly simple 'no'. "Just a punk."

"Kouga!" Kagome admonished her long time friend and turned a fierce scowl on him, which preceded a syrupy sweet grin that screamed danger; Yusuke gulped and almost felt bad for the other man. Almost, but not quite. "Ya know Kouga… maybe I haven't been paying enough attention to you… say, why don't I make you one of those pretty little necklaces when I get back?"

That sugary sweet voice of hers sent shivers down not only his spine as he noticed a few other occupants of the room shudder involuntarily. Yusuke scratched his head thoughtfully as he watched her jog upstairs to get ready. "What the hell kind of world did I fall into here?"

"The insane one of the Higurashi household." Kagome beamed at him as she hopped over the last step and brushed off her skirt. "Where are we going?"

Perhaps if she'd been paying more attention she'd have noticed the lack of his usual grin, but she wasn't and she didn't.

"It's a surprise, you'll see."

* * *

When he'd said it would be a surprise she hadn't expected an apartment building three towns away. Kagome looked up at the building warily, but let him lead her through the entrance and up a few flights of stairs all the same. She must have spaced out for a decent amount of time because the next thing she knew he'd guided her to sit down on a sofa. She blinked out of her trance-like state and looked around.

"Just sit down and chill for a minute, I'll go grab you a soda-" he paused and shook his head. "Uh, forget the soda. For some reason I think giving you caffeine might be dangerous for my health…"

She gave a genuine grin and rubbed the side of her arm lightly. "I _am_ sorry about the popcorn…"

"Don't worry about it Kag. Still gettin' a few laughs about it… believe me." He didn't need to tell her that said laughter wasn't his own and was rather being directed _at_ him; but the smile she sent in his direction made it all worthwhile.

The strangely comfortable silence that followed was broken by a quiet sizzling. The sound caught Kagome off guard, and she promptly rolled off the sofa and onto the floor.

"Kag!"

"I'm ok!" she sat up, grinned widely to distract attention from her bright red face, and pushed herself up by the palms of her hands to look at what he was doing. "You're cooking?"

"I can cook!"

She shrugged indifferently and plopped back down on the sofa. "You just didn't seem the type…" she scrunched her nose up in distaste. "Especially with that whole salmon onigiri and hot sauce incident."

"Incident my ass- that stuff is good! And it just so happens I'm fully capable of cooking."

Again she shrugged, but a grin adorned her face that time. "Is that the surprise?"

"I _can_ cook!"

* * *

Three hours later Yusuke stared down at the sleeping woman who'd decided to turn him into nothing short of a pillow and grinned. She was cute. They'd taken to the idea of staying in to watch a movie and he noted how much more comfortable she was; he didn't end up wearing any food this time, though she'd come painfully close with that tray of tea. The door creaked open and he looked up to see his roommate enter. Yusuke waved his hand in greeting but didn't utter a word lest he wake up the girl burrowed into his chest. That worry vanished when she groaned and craned her head around to gaze at the redhead.

"Sleep well Kag?"

"Oh shit, what time is it?" the frantic expression on her face ate at his nerves and almost made him laugh at the same time.

"Settle down Kag, you can stay the night if you want," he winked playfully at her and grinned wolfishly. "I won't try anything…unless you want me to?"

"I can't stay here, I've got to be back at the shrine in case- I've…I've got to be back there." She blinked once she realized what he'd just said, blushed a delightful shade of red, and punched him in the arm hard enough to make his eyes widen. "And stop that… you sound like Miroku."

A soft chuckle reminded the unofficial couple to the fact that a third party had joined in on their date.

"You are welcome to stay the night Kagome…"the redhead grinned at her in a manner she'd only seen once or twice, and only ever on the visage of a fox. "I'll see to it that Yusuke behaves himself."

_She seemed to look right __**through**__ him._

"Somehow…that's not really reassuring…"

Her ears were met with an exasperated sigh and she turned in time to see Yusuke drop his hands to his lap in frustration. "Okay fine. I want you here so I can pound the jackass followin' ya around."

Eyes widened, Kagome sprung to her feet and inched backwards cautiously. "Wh-what did you just say?"

Kurama sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Please Kagome… we know. As uncouth as Yusuke was with his request…he only has your best interests at heart."

_=Sure, Red… just go ahead and give points to our competition.=_

_/My last interest is in any childish competition…look at her, she's terrified./_

The silence that followed that statement told him he'd won the argument before it had even begun. So he turned his attention back to the trembling female. "Kagome?"

"Kag? You ok?"

"No! No…no, _no_, _**no**_!" she shook her head and waved her hand defensively as she eased toward the door. She grabbed her jacket from the coat-rack, yanked the door open and bolted.

Yusuke stared for a long moment then let out an aggravated sigh. "Where the hell does she think she's goin'? I drove her here… she lives three towns away; no way she's walking."

"Give her a moment to calm herself Yusuke, then retrieve her. It's almost midnight, she shouldn't be on her own at this hour."

"Please… you ever seen her fight man?" Yusuke shrugged his shoulders dramatically and shook his head with a grin. "If she had spiritual power, I'd ask her to join us."

* * *

With a trembling hand Kagome pulled out her cell and dialed the number to the shrine. "H-hey Sango…um…is Sesshomaru still there? Yeah… hi Sesshomaru-sama…can you come get me?"

No sooner had the words left her lips, was he at her side with an unreadable expression on his face. She grinned and held up her index finger in a silent request for just a moment of his rare patience; for her, he would grant it.

"Thanks Sango." She snapped her phone shut with a quiet click, and rocked back and forth on her heels. "I know, I know… Kouga's watching from three blocks away but I really don't want to put up with him right now."

Deeming the excuse acceptable, the taiyoukai tugged the miko into a single armed embrace and the two conflicting races vanished back to their shared home; he had a palace in makai, he owned many residences throughout both the makai and ningenkai, but he could only call the miko's shrine a home. Not that he would ever admit such a thing.

As they neared the shrine Sesshomaru first noticed the slayer woman was standing there waiting for them. He landed, set the miko on her feet, and left them to talk. He would, of course, remain within hearing distance; he needed to know whether or not there was just cause for his decapitation of the boy.

"Kagome you're… you're crying." The taijiya frowned and put her hands on her hips. "Ok… where's he live?"

"…don't hurt him Sango. He didn't really do anything wrong."

"You don't cry over nothing Kagome! What did he do?" Sango stomped her foot childishly, something she'd no doubt picked up from the younger female.

"He…wanted to protect me."

Sango blinked and faltered in her stance. "What?"

"He…they somehow found out Naraku is stalking me…kind of. They don't know its Naraku… or even a demon for that matter."

"So why-?"

"He would have gotten hurt! They're demons, sure… but Naraku…Naraku is just…too much."

Sango could only gape as the little miko she called her sister turned and ran up to the guest room that had become her own. "W-well I'll be damned…"

"I knew she shouldn't have gone out…" Kouga almost sounded mournful as he listened to the inevitable door slam.

* * *

Shippo sighed as he opened the door and glanced down at his adoptive mother. "Kaa-san…"

"Y-Yusuke wasn't the only one Shippo… Kurama… he asked me to stay s-so they could protect me too…"

"He's a fox…we're not as bad as wolves or dogs but we're possessive and protective too." He sat down next to her and gave a toothy grin. "Hey… if I revert to my youkai form…and let you play with my ears and tails…will you cheer up?"

"Tails? As in more than one?"

"What- did you think Kirara was the only one that gained another tail with experience? I've got five!" he gave a melodramatic sigh and allowed the furry appendages to pop into existence; he was of course, careful to keep up the illusion to all but his mother. Her happy squeal was all it took to make the risk worth it; the massage she began giving his ears didn't hurt either.

* * *

"Where the hell could she have gone?!"

"Calm, Yusuke… there's no sense of malice in the air, nor is there any sign of a struggle."

"That doesn't calm my nerves! I'd much rather think she was able to put up a damn fight!" arms flailing wildly, Yusuke's chest heaved with the exertion he was inducing on himself.

"Now, now, I'll just give her a call and see if she managed to get herself home." Holding up his hand to silence the detective, Kurama waited for someone to pick up. "Yes, this is a friend of Kagome-san's… she left awhile ago and I was wondering if she's gotten home alright?"

Yusuke studied the avatar intently, nodding along with every nod the redhead gave and blinking when the man's eyes widened ever so slightly.

"I see. Well, I hope she feels better. Thank you."

"Well?"

With a sigh, Kurama snapped his phone shut, pocketed it and raised an eyebrow at Yusuke. "She's home…crying apparently, but she's home."

"Crying? Aw shit…"

Kurama watched as his friend stalked back towards their shared aparentment and could only chuckle at the grumbles and groans that came from the detective.

/_He really is stricken with her…/_

_=Indeed… but she is first and foremost ours.=_

_/Perhaps, Youko. But first, she needs to recover before any of us make a move./_

_=…agreed. I could change her mind though-=_

_/Youko!/_

_=Hai, hai..=_

_

* * *

_

A grin twisted his lips as he stared into the rippling surface of the pool before him. "Come here, my servant."

Nothing was said but the figure bowed before him nonetheless.

"Such a good puppet you make… you've been especially useful penetrating the barrier around the little miko's shrine ningen..." Red eyes gleamed in the barely there moonlight and he craned his head back to scrutinize the form still bowed before him. "You are to deliver this to the miko next."

A single outstretched fist was placed before his servant, and dead eyes raised to stare at the object being handed over.

_A single silver dog ear lay in the palm of that alabaster hand._

_

* * *

_

**A/N: I know, I know… you all either love me or hate me right now. I had to do it! Fifteen pages though! Be happy for that- I stayed up all night just to write this for you guys (up till 7am to be precise-and I have class at 2pm).**

**Oh- I'm doing something new by the way. Every chapter will be dedicated to someone else. This chapter is dedicated to **_**Haru Inuzuka**_** for being my most faithful reviewer thus far (and it also helps that your last review made me laugh).**

**Love you my readers!**

**FF-CherryBlossomLove**

**MM-Dusken-Dreamer53**


	7. Tension

_**Arachnophobia**_

**A/N: So its 1am and I have to stay up all night to cram for finals so I figured I would take a break and my muse smiled on me for it. **

**So many people have tried to guess who Naraku's servant is! I was surprised at the stuff some of you came up with- but the one person who got it the closest is goth_lolita. I'm still not telling any of you who it is though! I wouldn't ruin the story for you like that.**

**On a side note, this chapter has been reviewed by IcyFire-MikoDemon.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Say it with me people. FANfiction… **_**FAN**_**fiction. Notice the emphasis?

* * *

**

"Focus, Kagome!"

The miko snapped out of her trance just in time to raise her blade and block Sango's. She could do better than she was, and she knew it; but after her last 'date' with Yusuke she simply wasn't all there. Of all times, she _had_ to be there.

"If I was an enemy you'd be dead ten times over!"

Playtime was over, and she could no longer pretend she was still the cheerful little girl of the future. The time was then and there. All because of the jewel, all because of one man, she could not be happy. None of them could be happy. In a surge of pent up emotion, Kagome ducked under a swing of Sango's blade, and lunged at the taijiya with a cry before the older woman could recover. Brown eyes blinked up at tearful blue ones before the woman pinned by her student broke into a grin.

"This is the first time you've ever beaten me in hand to hand…" As Kagome climbed off of her, Sango stood and offered her pupil a bow. "Congratulations, you've learned well."

The miko offered a slight bow in return then promptly turned and walked back into the house. Steel faced, she strode upstairs to take a bath without a word.

Sango frowned as the younger female disappeared into the bathroom. "I'm worried about her… she hasn't been the same since she ran out on her date with that boy."

"Keh! Knew the runt was no good for her." As he realized what he'd said, Kouga spun around and thrust a warning finger into the kitsune's face as he opened his mouth to respond. "Don't say a fuckin' word."

* * *

She sunk into the steaming water with a sigh, situated herself, and tilted her head back to gaze at the ceiling in thought. A good five days had passed since she'd last seen Yusuke; that wasn't to say she hadn't sensed him though. Every now and then she could feel his presence at the bottom of the steps to the shrine and it struck her to her core when she could feel how down he seemed to be. Perhaps when they'd defeated Naraku for the last time she would tell him; perhaps, being a youkai himself, he would understand what it was like to live a double life.

_Or perhaps she was simply fooling herself._

"Yeah…. I'm fooling myself." The one thing that she would readily accept she had in common with Kikyo, was that neither one of them could ever really be happy. Neither of them could ever be free of the burden that the keeper of the Shikon bore. Granted, Kagome knew she had far more going for her than Kikyo ever had and she was thankful for it, but she was still lonely.

_The lonely priestess, Kikyo. The lonely priestess, Kagome. She couldn't tell the difference any longer._

With a sigh, Kagome sunk down into the water and stared up at the ceiling. It had been better to end things then and there, before she got too involved with Yusuke and got him pulled into the drama of the Shikon. She wouldn't let him be hurt because of her. With another sigh, the miko stood, drained the tub, and wrapped a towel firmly around her body as she stepped out.

As she turned around to make certain that the tub had drained her blood ran cold. After a moment of standing frozen in place, she let out a blood-curdling scream.

There, sitting on the windowsill, was a silver triangular dog-ear.

* * *

"He-he can't be… Inuyasha's not… he can't be…"

Sango sent a worried gaze to the taiyoukai as she continued to rub the miko's back. The younger female had broken into near hysterics and when they'd found her she'd nearly attacked the nearest person. It had taken much patience for Sango to convince Kagome she was safe long enough to help the miko dress; Sango hated lying to her dear little sister, for they all knew that at such a point, none of them were safe. "You don't think…. do you Sesshomaru-sama?"

"My brother is a fool…but not fool enough to let this happen."

A drawn out silence followed, and slowly they each nodded in agreement. Inuyasha had his moments, but nothing like that would ever have happened on his watch.

Narrowed golden eyes scrutinized the severed appendage that only he, Shippo, and Kouga had dared touch, and he turned with the grace he was famous for. "This Sesshomaru shall return within the week."

Kagome opened her mouth in attempts to say something but he was already gone. With a shuddering breath the miko got to her feet and glanced over at Miroku. "Reinforce the barrier… I need to…take a walk."

She'd run out of the house before any of them could say a word to her, but only one of them followed. A hand slightly larger than her own caught hold of Kagome's wrist and tugged her to a stop. She stilled for a moment, and a painful silence loomed over the both of them before she dared to speak.

"Hey Shippo…"

"Hm?"

"There's something else about chess you forgot to mention to Kouga."

He blinked and raised an eyebrow at the statement. Despite being part of a race that was nothing short of the natural strategists of the worlds, he was lost to where she could be going with it. Her tone however, made him wary. "What about it?"

"You can't make progress, forget winning, unless you make sacrifices…"

"Kaa-!" She was gone faster than he could get the words out, and he was left standing there in the middle of the courtyard, hand outstretched and mouth agape in horror.

_**He**__ knew what she had been implying. But did __**she**__?

* * *

_

He'd finally gathered the courage to climb the steps of her shrine and apologize; it was funny he supposed how he had the courage to face down things that the rest of humanity could never imagine, but facing one human girl made him waver. All the same he _would_ apologize, even if he wasn't really sorry. And he _wasn't_ sorry. He would never be sorry for trying to protect her, but he _was _sorry for causing her to cry. He grimaced; his red-haired friend had insisted on joining him on his journey to her shrine.

"You really have to follow me like that?" Yusuke's eye twitched at the grin his friend offered.

"Why Yusuke, you aren't threatened by me are you?"

There was a long pause before the detective responded with a blank stare. "You're a _fox_. You think after all this time I haven't grasped what your 'specialty' is?"

Green eyes flashed gold for the briefest of moments. "I'm certain I do not know what you are talking about."

As he opened his mouth to retort, Yusuke had to leap back when a blur of black and blue flew by him. "...the hell? Kag?"

"What are _you_ doing here?"

* * *

All she could think of was to run. So she ran. She ran for what felt like hours, but when she looked up at a clock that stood on the street corner she saw it had been a mere fifteen minutes. Panting, Kagome took in her surroundings and blinked. She'd covered quite a bit of ground.

'_Miko'_

The whisper caught her by such surprise that she stumbled and landed hard on her rear. People turned to look strangely at her but not one stopped for more than a second to help her.

_It wasn't any wonder she preferred the companionship of youkai._

Finally she regained her composure, leapt to her feet and brushed herself off. A faint tickle of youki brushed at her senses and she shuddered. It wasn't there on a diplomatic mission that was for sure; the malice that tainted its aura made her gasp for breath.

She stopped walking halfway into a back alley and blinked. She wasn't sure when she had _started_ walking in the first place. Her mental barriers slammed back into place with such ferocity it stunned her.

_**She**__ hadn't been the one to let them down._

The air was so thick where she stood that she was almost paralyzed and she fell back against the wall with a strangled gasp. She knew that youki; she knew it all too well.

"Oi, Kagome-chan. I've missed you. I haven't had a worthwhile playmate in so long."

"H-Ha-"

"Miasma works so much better on you in this era wouldn't you say?"

"M-miasma?" she blinked and shrunk back when he took a step closer. She'd always been immune to miasma, but that had been before.

_She'd given up that ability when she'd given Kikyo even more of her soul._

Her bottom lip trembled and she had to blink back tears. She wasn't going to die, she knew that much, and that only served to frighten her more. Fingertips brushed against her cheek in a faux tenderness and she flinched back from the touch. "No!"

He laughed at her and her eyes darted around franticly. There was always a way out, she only needed to find it before it was too late.

"Have you met my father's new pet? He was almost as hard to control as you, but in the end he was no more than another pathetic human. But I digress, he's been ever so helpful in delivering those gifts to you."

A human man blocked her only escape and she whimpered. She'd nothing against using her power to fight humans, but she didn't want to hurt someone that was only being used by the likes of Naraku.

"Let him go Hakudoshi…"

He barked a laugh at her and she scowled, no longer afraid but instead angry. Well if he wanted to be that way then she'd comply. She allowed him to believe her movement was out of fear, that when she inched behind the long forgotten trashcans she was doing so in a pitiful attempt to shield herself. And so he was caught off guard when she sent the metal trash bins flying straight for the human. The man lumbered towards her and only succeeded in falling flat on his face, effectively giving her the opportunity to dart around him. She grimaced down at the human and uttered a plea for forgiveness for what she was about to do.

The second he'd gotten to his hands and knees she elbowed him in the back of the head and he crumpled with a thud. In the time it had taken to take down the human, her real opponent had caught up to her. His hand latched onto her wrist and with a sharp tug she'd been pulled up against his chest.

That had been his mistake. He should have known better than to touch her. He should have known better than to egg her of all people on. Purification engulfed them and she fell back against the wall shaking. She looked up just in time to see him flee, and she regretted her failure to save the human man from his grasp.

_Kikyo could have done it._

With a shuddering breath she slid to the ground, dug her fingers into her hair and buried her head into her knees. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry."

* * *

Shippo stared at the two before him with the scrutinizing gaze he'd inherited from his time with the western lord. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited patiently.

"Well?" a grumble met his ears and Shippo raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"

"You're too much like Kurama…" the redhead across from him narrowed his eyes but a centimeter and he shrunk back slightly, though unsure of why he felt so intimidated; the aforementioned Kurama seemed amused by the sight.

Shippo frowned and cocked his head to the side. He was still waiting, and rather patiently at that. Had it been Sesshomaru to question the boy, the taiyoukai had far less patience than he, himself had.

"Damn it all, I only came to tell Kag I was sorry about makin' her cry." Yusuke's shoulders slumped and he looked to the ground in slight defeat. "I was only tryin' to help…"

Shippo softened slightly at the sincerity and opened his mouth to speak. He snapped it shut and his head jolted up when he was nearly knocked off his feet. That wave of purification, even the two before him had not missed. He cleared his throat, his façade never wavering, and shifted to leave. "Well…that's all well and good but there is something I must attend to. You can show yourselves out."

Yusuke turned to his friend slowly, mouth still agape, and crinkled his brow. "What…just happened?"

"I haven't felt such ki in the better part of five centuries…" the avatar turned a mixed gaze of green and the more dominant –in that instant– shade of gold. "Purification…"

* * *

He jogged down the stairs at a human pace, sprinted into the remaining forest at the base of said stairs, and bolted as fast as his legs could carry him to where he could sense his dear mother. It was when he got closer that he felt the remnants of Hakudoshi's youki, and he snarled. If his mother had been hurt, the powers that be would not stop him from achieving vengeance.

He took the gamble of traveling by rooftop, and it seemed he was fast enough that it had been a safe bet. Thoughts of being caught were pulled from his mind when he finally found her. "Ka..Kaa-san?"

Her head shot up, and her blue eyes were wild in a torrent of emotion. She studied him for a moment before frowning in concentration. "Shippo?"

His eyes bled an angry crimson for the briefest of moments. "Where is Kouga? Isn't he supposed to be tailing you?"

Panic became the dominant of emotion that he could see swirling through those tormented blue orbs. "He… he was supposed to be following me… so then…what happened to him?"

She held her hand over her mouth, as horror took place of panic. She shook her head furiously, in attempts of denying the unspoken declaration.

_They were being picked off, one by one._

"Divide and conquer is it? Naraku's either underestimating our pack, or he's running out of ideas. Perhaps this strategy is the only one he's really good at." His eyes flashed in a kind of amusement only found in a fox, and he shifted his weight from one leg to the other. When his mother choked out a sob he sunk to his knees and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Kaa-san… look at me."

"Hm?"

"We're going to be fine. Kouga will be fine. Inuyasha will be fine. The two of them, they were tough as nails in the feudal era and they're even worse now. It's going to be fine."

"B-but Shippo…if they gained strength…Naraku did as well."

"We defeated him when he still had the Shikon. He doesn't have it anymore. We defeated him before you, Sango, and Miroku became immortal. No matter how much he may want it, Naraku is _not_ immortal. Besides… I didn't contribute shit to battles before…now I can."

"B-but-"

"Stop that. Being realistic and being pessimistic are two very different things." He stood, pulled her to her feet, and steadied her. "However, as of now the shrine is on lockdown, agreed? No one is to go in or out. The barrier will extend to humans, animals, and demons alike."

She nodded, but said nothing and merely sunk into his hold. So he sighed and lifted her into his arms. In a blur of unseen movement he was gone.

* * *

"The trail ends here…" brows crinkled in concentration, Kurama traced the wall where the remnants were the strongest and surveyed the scene. "There was a battle…"

"What…exactly can purification do?" a strange sense of dread filled him when his friend stopped to look at him.

"At the level we sensed? It can kill youkai with a single touch."

Yusuke sighed and tried to catch a scent. "How much you want to bet this is goin' to be our next mission?"

Kurama paused to think about it, then shrugged almost unnoticeably. "One thousand Yen."

* * *

It had played out beautifully. He could not have manipulated them better if he still had the Shikon. No matter though, it would be returned to his grasp soon enough.

_Good things came to those who waited after all. And he had waited a plenty long time._

"Five hundred years is ample time to wait don't you think, Kagome-chan?"

Indeed, he had waited long enough and his waiting had paid off. Had he not waited, the human he controlled might have been overlooked. Naraku was glad he had not overlooked such a useful tool.

It was a pity though. It had been too easy remove the dog from his pack. With the strongest of them gone, taking back what was rightfully his would be all too easy.

And _then_ he would make a play for the jewel.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry guys! Not much romance in this chapter (not unless you squint anyway), but a lot of necessary stuff happened that absolutely **_**needed **_**to happen at this point in the story. Don't worry; the romance **_**will **_**make a comeback. **

**As for Naraku's servant… anyone want to revise their guess?**

**On a side note, this chapter was twelve pages on Word.**

**Currency: One thousand Yen = ten US dollars**

**As for my chapter dedication, this one is dedicated to: Serenity Draco. She's a wonderful author and has a number of good Kagome/Kurama fanfics.**


	8. Instigation

_**Arachnophobia**_

**A/N: A quick update ne? I almost felt bad for the cliffy I left you guys with last time, **_**almost.**_** I'll make up for it though, I promise.**

**On a side note, this chapter has not been reviewed by a beta.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Say it with me people. FANfiction… **_**FAN**_**fiction. Notice the emphasis?

* * *

**

A sigh escaped Kagome's lips and she paused in the task of sweeping out the courtyard. She had been trying to keep busy for the past three days, and as a result the shrine was spotless and she'd left herself with naught to do. It was in that instant that Kagome decided it was rather boring being on lockdown.

Shoulders slumped, Kagome decided something else. She missed Yusuke. He was so much like Inuyasha, she had found out in the short time of knowing him, yet he was _so different_ at the same time. The thought of him made her instantly think on what had happened the past few days. Kouga, being the dense wolf that he was had shown up an hour after her encounter with Hakudoshi and nearly gotten beat into the ground by Shippo's hand. Kagome was none too thrilled with him either, and so she allowed her kit to thrash the prince. There was no doubt in any of their minds that the fox had been trained well by Sesshomaru.

As she looked up Kagome took note that she'd wandered to the Goshinboku, and she pressed her forehead to the bark with a smile. "You're always there for us, ne Goshinboku?"

"It is."

She turned a curious gaze to her son. "What do you mean?"

"Goshinboku… its always there for us, even now. It may not be powering the well anymore, but if Miroku and myself were truly the only ones powering the barrier… we'd have gone comatose long ago." He paused to let her catch up, and continued at her slight nod. "Goshinboku is a spiritual being in and of itself; all living things are, even if they have no special power. This shrine is ultimately its territory. The tree may not be demon… but everything has the instinct to protect what is theirs."

Kagome gaped, and could only wonder as she watched Shippo's retreating form, if that was indeed the same fox she had known in the feudal era. He had always seemed wise but such a level of intellect still stunned her. He'd grown up so much, and she'd missed it all.

* * *

"I'm going to the store!" she knew there was going to be a commotion over that statement, but she _had_ to go. They'd fallen into a painful sense of déjà vu in the sense that their only food was ramen.

"Wait a moment Kaa-san… you can't go on your own."

She turned and lowered her head in defeat. Because of Naraku, she couldn't even so much as go to the store on her own. Her sympathy for Kagura skyrocketed in that instant. "Then…will you come with me, Shippo?"

"…You know I will."

So she leapt into her shoes and dragged the fox from the house without another word. He followed her in just as much silence, but she was comforted by it. He knew she didn't want to talk, just as she knew she was safe in his presence.

They walked for a good fifteen minutes, enjoying their silence despite the hustle and bustle of the crowd, for they existed within their own moment in time. She proceeded to drag him into the store, load his arms with groceries and make him stop at a small café on the way back. They managed to snag an outdoors table, and sat in silence as the miko sipped at her tea.

"You know, Kagome… I did promise you Kouga was fine didn't I?"

Unsure where he was going with that, she raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Yeah… and you proceeded to beat him into the ground worse than I ever have with Inuyasha. What's your point?"

"The point is… I keep my promises. I promised you that everything will be fine…and I'm going to stand by that promise."

With her gaze trained on the steaming liquid of her tea, Kagome blinked back tears. "Don't lie to me Shippo. You can't just make everything be alright…Inuyasha might be dead, Sesshomaru left…and Hakudoshi is back."

"…fine. Then you have to promise me something." He took a sip of his own tea, and casually draped one leg over the other.

"What?"

"Promise me you'll try to be happy… I've never seen you as happy as I have with that…Yusuke, was it?"

She stared at him long and hard; blue eyes bore into his green ones with such intensity he almost wavered. But he did not. And finally she spoke.

"Be happy? Be happy! How can you expect me to be happy? How can you ask me to bring him into this? You know as well as I do, that with the lifestyle I have, with the enemies I have to face, he wouldn't be safe, despite who he is. Heaven's sake Shippo! Even if he is a you-!"

He'd nearly leapt across the table to press his hand on her mouth, and sighed when she blinked at him. "We're in public, remember? Now, if I let you breath again will you return to a civil volume?"

Her eyes narrowed but she nodded her head in agreement. It was silent, and then she sighed. "I'm sorry Shippo… I'm just…tired."

"I know…we're all tired."

"Can we go back?"

_The unspoken question hung thick in the air. _

The way she looked up at him through her bangs, a look of hope in her eyes, he could have cried; but Sesshomaru raised him, and so he did not. He didn't have the heart to break that hope he saw. He'd spent too much time trying to build it up. "Soon…"

He stood and deposited a handful of Yen on the table, as she followed suit. Suddenly, a slight trickle of youki brushed their senses, and Shippo knew Kagome had sensed it, for she'd bolted straight for the shrine. He sighed, and began tailing her.

* * *

She had run as fast as her legs could carry her and only stopped because she had collided with another body. She shrieked and thrashed when hands reached out to steady her. "No! No, let me go!"

"Kagome?"

She blinked and briefly wondered why she had not sensed that it was him. Slowly, she turned and tilted her head to the side to look at him better. "Kurama?"

A purr-like sound echoed in the back of his mind at the way his name rolled off her lips, but he retained his composure and offered a light smile to the girl. "Better. Now, what's wrong?"

He didn't miss the way she paled, or the way her eyes darted around frantically looking for escape.

"I…well…"

"You don't _have_ to tell me if it bothers you so much." His eyes shot open when she made a pathetic attempt to choke back a sob, and then launched herself into his arms. The purr in the back of his mind only got louder.

_=You are making a move, yes?=_

_/You are crazier than I gave you credit for if you think I would do such a thing with the state she's in…/_

_=Normal is overrated my friend, crazy is fun.=_

"Kurama?" Her voice brought him back and he mentally swatted the fox within him.

"Forgive me Kagome, there's this nagging little voice that just won't leave me alone." He softened at the sad defeated look on her face but didn't pester her to find out what was wrong. He already knew what the answer was likely to be. She suddenly jolted away from him and he blinked. "Kagome?"

"I…I can't…"

She seemed to be panicking again and he placed a hand on her shoulder gently, albeit firmly. "You know Kagome… as coarse as Yusuke may be, he would protect you with his life."

Absently he took note of the ranting and raving of his counterpart but blatantly ignored the fox.

"I know he wants to protect me… but he can't." She took a step back from him and lifted her gaze to stare into his own. "Even you… no matter _who_ you are… you can't protect me, not from this. You just… you can't fight this."

"Don't underestimate me Kagome."

_The request hadn't come from just __**him.**_

"...Or Yusuke for that matter. We could be of more help than you think."

"Thanks but…" She sighed and shook her head at him. He was certainly a fox, she knew as much already. "You don't know what you're getting into…and I won't let you. But really… thank you."

So she fled before he could say another word, and left a rather confused avatar in her wake.

"You _had_ to press her didn't you?"

Green met green, but Kurama did not vocally respond to the man that stood before him. He simply watched and waited for the other male to clarify on what he meant.

"Look…I'll get right to the point. I _know_ your _**kind**_. And trust me, it doesn't exactly make me happy to see your interest in Kagome. If you want anything to do with her…you'll have to go through far worse than me, though be assured you'll still need to go through me."

"Is that a challenge?"

Shippo knew that he had seen the flash of gold, and he knew what it was. It only unsettled him even more. He snorted at the question, and merely acted none the wiser. "Take it however you like. But if you ever do anything to hurt her…there won't be a place on this earth for you to hide. Remember, I _know_ how you work, whether you think I do or not."

And he strode off after Kagome, not caring much that he had left a baffled redhead with a flustered kitsune sulking around in his mentality.

* * *

He'd followed her back to the shrine, and Kagome knew it. He had promised her that he would be there without ever saying the words. It was in that moment that Kagome remembered. "Shippo! You did remember the groceries right?"

"…Who do you take me for? Kouga?"

"Oi! That was uncalled for kit!"

There was a simultaneous echo of, "…no it wasn't," that simply made Kagome laugh at the expense of the wolf. She knew though, that it served him right. Nonetheless, Kagome shook her head and turned back to what was in front of her.

_The Shikon glittered eerily in the darkness._

"Its not really your fault is it?" tenderly she ran the tips of her fingers over the surface of the jewel and shivered at the way it pulsed beneath her touch. The appreciation she felt from the sentient being that was the Shikon made her lips quirk into a smile. The jewel was thankful, that she had not blamed it for the actions of one hanyou. Even the youkai within the tama felt thanks, and she knew it. The jewel itself had never been to blame.

"I wish I could protect you better…but…a weak miko like me? I can barely protect myself." She chuckled at the protesting flash of energy it spat at her and slumped into her seat. "Some guardian I am ne?"

She stopped the somewhat one-sided conversation there, and gently she dropped the jewel back to its place in the warded velvet lined box that had become its home. She knew she shouldn't, she knew she had no right, but Kagome felt so alone that she could have cried. And cry she did.

* * *

"The battle has barely begun… and Kagome is already weighed down so much." Sango sighed and ran her fingers through the fray of her bangs as she looked to the monk who sat beside her. "We need to do something."

"Indeed we do… the question remains though, what?"

"…We need to strike back." He spoke as he entered the room, having heard the conversation from the kitchen. They turned to him and he continued on. "But first we wait for Sesshomaru to return. Making a move without him? That would be more foolhardy than anything Inuyasha or Kouga have ever done combined."

They were silent after that, and the fox knew he had gotten his point across. They needed to strike, and they needed to strike _soon_. But not without the powerhouse of their pack, not without the taiyoukai that lead them, despite Kouga's disdain towards being subordinate. Even the wolf knew when to step down, when to let someone more suited take over leadership. It was after all the mark of a good leader, to know when to let someone else take the reigns. If nothing else, Kouga was a good leader. He knew when to let go and relinquish control. So he had.

"How are we to do such a thing? Shippo, you have stated that youkai exist in a different dimension to our own."

"Do you think travel between the worlds impossible? Hakudoshi came here didn't he? We simply go there… though that kazanna of yours may get a bit of a workout on some mindless low level youkai if we do."

"No others?"

Shippo snorted and raised an eyebrow at the monk. "With Sesshomaru leading our party?"

"…I see your point."

"Good. Get some rest, you guys will need it." Shippo stood and left the room with grace drilled into him by the taiyoukai he had lived with for the better part of five hundred years.

He climbed the stairs and silently pushed open the door to his surrogate mother's bedroom. The bittersweet sight before him made his chest throb with pain. The way the moonlight streamed in through the window and kissed her tear stained face, it made tears prick at the backs of his own eyes. So he did the only thing he could do in such an instant. He climbed into bed behind her, shut the drapes, and allowed his illusion to drop. Two tails came to wrap around her waist and he sighed into the hair of the back of her head. "Kaa-san…it _will _be ok. I really do promise…you know I do."

She was still asleep as she spoke, but he didn't miss the quiet murmur that passed her lips.

"Don't lie to me Shippo…"

* * *

"She…said what?" Yusuke raised an eyebrow at the red haired avatar, arms crossed over his chest.

"She was implying _something_. What, I'm not sure yet… but I have my theories."

For the fox to be unsure of anything, Kagome must have certainly puzzled his teammate. And Yusuke knew how the kitsune was about puzzles, which only served to unsettle him. For the time being though, they had to put such things aside. "Well… we'll need to figure it out later."

"Oh?"

"Un. That purification or whatever we sensed the other day… Reikai definitely picked up on it. Koenma wants us to find whoever caused it and bring them in asap." Yusuke hadn't liked the look the small god had when speaking of that energy, but even he knew when to keep his mouth shut. So instead, he settled for trading the usual insults and storming out the door. Besides, he wanted to know what it was himself. He wanted to meet this person who was strong enough to take down youkai with a mere touch.

"Is that so?" gold became dominant for a moment, as two halves of one whole forgot the woman they'd been talking about mere moments beforehand.

"Please, he even wants Hiei on the case…"

"It seems our lives have gotten much more interesting my friend."

_=Much.=

* * *

_

Sesshomaru was livid, though one might not have known simply by looking at him lest they knew him _very _well. He had returned to Makai mere days ago, and had found his lands in such disarray it looked as if he'd left them in the hands of a child.

He had the urge to rush back to the shrine, but he knew that his only student could handle it. If the kit could not, he would have to resume training him. And he would only do so harder than before. He knew he needed to stay longer. He needed to find the idiot that was his half brother and beat the boy to near death for worrying the miko in such a manner.

A few servants scurried about in panic, cleaning whatever there was to clean and waiting patiently for their lord's demands. They were waiting in vain, for they would receive none.

He had to visit an old friend.

* * *

It was all too wonderful. Things were working out so beautifully that the spider rejoiced. They never noticed. They would never know until it was far too late. By that time he would have regained what was his.

_The Shikon would be a mere bonus._

Though, Shippo, the little fox had surprised him and Naraku had to remind himself that he was not the same child he had once known.

"No matter… it will be all the more entertaining to destroy them."

The fox was next to go. Without his intellect in Sesshomaru's absence, they were sure to crumble. As for the _dog_, he would be soon to follow, and Naraku had such a wonderful gift for the taiyoukai that he grinned at the mere thought of it.

_It had begun, if just barely._

Still, he remained surprised that the feisty little miko he had known stood by and merely watched. Once upon a time she'd have come charging in after him. Naraku chuckled at the thought of breaking the girl to such a point. He did indeed have help in destroying her spirit; the affairs between Kikyo and Inuyasha had broken her down far more than he could ever have hoped to. He would admit so, only because he found it funny. In the end, it had been the one that promised to protect her, that had done the most damage.

He would simply have to out-do the inu hanyou. And he would. Oh, he would. Torment, causing pain, it was what he reveled in; it was what he was good at.

_He was going to have fun, so much fun.

* * *

_

**A/N: You guys had better love me, you hear that? Who else would stay up until 6:30am just to update so quickly for you? Hey, you told me to update quickly and I did!**

**This chapter is dedicated to Kanna37. She's a dear friend of mine and a fellow author here on Fanfiction. If you have not read her InuYasha fanfiction, go do so, and make 'Malice' your first read. Its long, but damn if it isn't worth it.**

**See you next chapter!**


	9. Confrontation

_**Arachnophobia**_

**A/N: So I have to make an announcement. Arachnophobia has hit over the 100 review mark! Honestly, I was the last to know. A friend of mine pointed it out then proceeded to laugh (well I did too) at my ignorance.**

**Now that I've done that I want to take this time to speak to an anonymous reviewer. Since I cannot send a review reply to them I will do so here.**

**SharperKittyCatClaws I want to thank you for your amazingly in-depth review. I understand where you got your confusion on that issue but I absolutely **_**promise **_**you that it will all be explained in due time, and there **_**is **_**a reason for it. It is intentional and everything **_**will**_** come into play and fall into place but right now I'm having fun tormenting you guys with the slight bit of mystery. It may seem right now that she did have more spirit when she could barely fire an arrow as you put it but as of now that is the case entirely. Consider what she has been through in the feudal era, between Inuyasha and Kikyo and even the prospect of fighting for her life day in and day out and having to learn to do so on such short notice. More will be explained later, but I am going to leave it at that for now. Though I can assuredly promise you that you'll see much more on that subject in this chapter.**

**On a side note, this chapter has been reviewed IcyFire-MikoDemon**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Say it with me people. FANfiction… **_**FAN**_**fiction. Notice the emphasis?**

**

* * *

**

"We're…going _where_?" the miko stared incredulously at the group before her, mouth agape in a mixture of awe and horror. Horror was swiftly replaced by determination and she shut her mouth with a painful sounding snap.

"Makai. We need to set Naraku back even if that means we just thin the ranks of his army. Any setback is a good setback."

"But…Sesshomaru?"

"I've contacted him already. We have a meeting point set up a mile or so off the border."

Kagome nodded firmly and glanced over to her quiver of arrows warily. She was going to run out and if they were attacked she was sure to loose the majority of them. Demons always seemed to tackle her first and it annoyed her to the ends of the earth. She'd taken time over the last year of searching for the Shikon to learn how to use a gun, and found that purification worked just as well with the smaller weapon as well. She didn't particularly like guns, in fact she held quite a bit of disdain for them, but being realistic meant bringing a backup weapon. She was able to use a blade well, but long range weapons meant less chance of being cornered, grabbed, and altogether wounded; it didn't apply to all cases, but it was indeed a helpful skill. To be able to stop one's opponent before they got within range, it was a tactic used many times before and would be once more. She nodded again and met the eyes of her son. "I'll go pack… we're going to be there awhile ne?"

She didn't wait for his response, for they all knew the answer already.

* * *

A large backpack hung off her shoulders and Kagome rolled her eyes at the appreciating glance Shippo and Kouga gave towards the fact that her new bag was black. She almost scoffed. She wasn't so dense to go traipsing around a world of demons with a bright yellow bag that announced her location; she wasn't sure _why_ she had done so in the feudal era either and only felt stupid when she thought of it.

Shippo had managed to talk Sango out of wearing her taijiya uniform with the simple argument that the beings of this era need not know her skill still remained. Thus, he placed an illusion on her Hiraikotsu so that it would remain unseen. A weapon such as the flying bone was a dead giveaway of the status of a taijiya; only taijiya could use such weapons, or even lift them for that matter. All the same, Shippo was happy that Miroku had been content enough to remain in a pair of black jeans and a purple shirt.

Kagome however, had surprised them all with her choice of attire. She was still laughing at the looks that had adorned their faces even as they readied to leave. She wasn't sure why it was so surprising to see her wearing army boots, camouflage pants and a dark green tank top, but at the very least their reactions proved amusing.

"Maa maa…you're not really marching off to war Kagome.." Kouga had managed to choke out the words with a teasing grin once his tongue had rolled back into his mouth.

She glanced at him, then at the ground and shrugged her shoulders. "We may as well be…"

She proceeded to ignore the looks given to her as she checked over her weapons and made sure her gun was working properly. It was. She shoved it in its holster and crossed her arms. "Well?"

Shippo nodded solemnly and went on to lead them through a shimmering portal that had appeared with a flick of his hand; it was a very handy trick Sesshomaru had taught him years ago and he thanked his sensei for it ever since then. They hesitated at first, but Shippo wasn't going to have any of that. If he kept the connection open too long they would be found out. So he shoved Kouga in, and once screams of his death were not heard the rest of them seemed to deem it safe. Sango jumped through, followed by Miroku, until only he and Kagome were left.

"Are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to go you know...we can do enough damage on our own…"

She gave him such a cold stare that Shippo almost leapt back.

"I was never any use in the feudal era aside from seeing the shards…but just because I'm the weakest in our group does not mean I'm weak. I'm going to stop Naraku…I will." She frowned and took a single step forward in an intimidation tactic that worked all too well. Shippo only prayed that Sesshomaru never found out for he'd be quick to teach him what he should actually fear. "Now, move it."

She strode into the portal without another word and Shippo was left standing there, a smirk on his face. "Knew it…the fire's still there."

He followed, and broke the connection off as soon as he'd passed through. He'd already kept it open far too long.

* * *

It had felt rather similar to the portal that had once been the Bone-eater's well, yet despite that Kagome had still managed to land on her rear. With a grumble about careless foxes dropping their supposed mothers on the ground she stood and brushed herself off. Once done, she glanced about and surveyed their surroundings. Demons were everywhere, though it was no surprise considering the namesake of the dimension. Still, knowing such information did not prevent the spiraling of her nerves to high heaven. Her eyes flickered in and out of focus for a moment, as it took her a bit of effort to reign in her miko ki from lashing out. It made Kagome happy, if not a bit more relaxed, to see Shippo and Kouga both had returned to their youkai forms. Her fingers twitched at the sight of her son's ears and five tails. Though, she managed –by some miracle- to restrain her impulses.

Once all of them were accounted for they began walking. It would not do to stay in one place to long. There was a good deal of difference between lying in wait, and being a sitting duck, though it was indeed a fine line.

"Youkai, three o'clock."

Shippo's voice cut through the silence the way purification did through the race in question and it made Kagome jump. No sooner had the fox spoken did a mix-match of a creature –Kagome found she thought it looked like a demented Mr. Potato Head with its pieces all in the wrong place– leapt at the usual target. Kagome sighed and sidestepped the unidentifiable youkai and stared at it in pity when it skidded into a tree. With a grin she'd picked up from Shippo she fished a piece of jerky from a side pocket on her bag and held it out.

"See the jerky? Its good…and its all yours if you leave us alone." She cooed gently to the mix-matched creature and was startled to see it take the form of yet another fox only to bow its head to her. "Eh?"

"An illusion… powerful, but don't worry. It's a higher level than it lets show, but means no harm."

Shippo always had seemed to be able to read her mind, but Kagome found she wasn't that concerned to begin with. There was no malice in the creature before her, only a beautiful black fox stood in her path. It's eyes darted to the jerky in her hand and the miko grinned. "I did promise didn't I?"

She tossed the snack to the fox who gladly caught it, and ice blue eyes stared back at her in thought. It was judging her and she knew it, but she couldn't find it in her to care much. Still, she grinned, scratched between its ears on the top of its head and turned back to the others. "We've spent too much time here right?"

Kagome shifted her bag and shrugged it into a comfortable position on her back. It was only after they'd been walking for a good distance that Kagome noted the fox was following them. She blinked and tilted her head to the side in curiosity. It wanted more treats perhaps, but with their current goal in mind the food could not be spared. With an apologetic look Kagome turned back to the group and picked up the pace, not surprised when the fox continued to follow.

It was after an hour of hiking later that they met up with Sesshomaru, and they only had to deal with a few low levels that had attempted to take the jewel. They had been Naraku's minions, and they knew it for two reasons. The jewel's presence was masked completely, and outside of their tight nit group of allies only Naraku knew that it still even existed. The existence of the Shikon No Tama and its guardians had become the best-kept secret on earth.

They'd met up with the taiyoukai, and not seconds later all hell broke loose.

Demons rained from the sky, a mixture of levels, and a battlefield was swiftly formed. Something caught her eye and Kagome spun around. "Saimyosho! Miroku don't use the void!"

Déjà vu was a rather potent sense in that instant. They were such familiar words to have passed her lips. It was such familiar a situation to have been forced into. Kagome was shaken from her thoughts, as well as the battle of wills with the youkai that had been trying to break her wakizashi when she was yanked into the air by the bag on her back. "Kya!"

Several people turned to look but when they did not panic and try to help Kagome felt somewhat relieved and somewhat nervous.

'_Calm yourself miko, I am not an enemy or do you forget those whom you feed so quickly?'_

She blinked, not pleased with the fact that the voice was in her head but not entirely startled by it either. So many had attempted to control her mind without success that she'd built up a rather nice tolerance to such things as well as quite a shield.

'_How are you-?'_

'_In your mind, or how have I gotten through your shields?'_

'…_Both. And why didn't you talk before?' _ Kagome was drawn back to the battlefield when Sango let loose a cry of surprise and was sent hurtling into a tree. _'Talk later… they need me.'_

She knew using purification in the midst of a demon realm would draw attention, but in that instant she didn't care. She was set on her feet and an arrow was instantly at the ready. "Hit the mark!"

It did. The light that swept over the battlefield had a duel effect. The attacking youkai were purified to ashes while the remaining energy had somewhat a healing effect on the allies of the one who released the weapon. The battle though, was not over and Kagome swiftly found herself backed into a corner, separated from the others. A demon growled at her, and she seemed to startle it when she snarled right back in its face.

The sheer number of the opposing youkai was overwhelming, despite their individual power being weak. There was indeed power in numbers; a truer statement had never been spoken. They needed help. Kagome ducked just in time to miss having her head taken off her shoulders and blinked as the demon did a rather amusing face plant onto the ground.

She turned when her name was called from across the battle torn land and she screamed. She held her bow up to shield herself, and charged it with her ki to create a weak barrier.

It proved to be unnecessary.

"Kaze no Kizu!"

Her heart pounded wildly in her chest and Kagome spun around. He was there. He was alive. He had come to them. With that, the miko promptly fainted.

* * *

"What the bloody hell where you thinkin' bringin' Kagome here? You know how many people are gunnin' for her?"

"She wanted to come. It's easier to protect her when we're _with_ her, wouldn't _you_ say Inuyasha?"

The hanyou growled at the fox that called the miko his mother, and his eyes flashed red for a moment, which did not go unnoticed. He knew what was being insinuated. He might not have been able to figure it out five hundred years ago, but with time comes wisdom, even to dense half demons named Inuyasha. He knew that what the fox was implying was true, but he wasn't going to take it after having just saved their sorry hides. "Don't even start with that shit, Shippo…"

"Why not? I've never left her or my pack to go chase after a memory… a memory that tried to kill her on more than one occasion…." The fox shrugged and glanced away. "But I digress… the important thing is that even though she was worried for your safety…she's gotten over your sorry ass. We've all got a job to do… but yours isn't to protect her anymore. Not that you ever did too fair a job of it in the first place… that's my job now. One _I_ won't fail at."

"Why you little-"

"Osuwari."

As much as he had missed Kagome, he had not missed that word or its effects. "Oi, Kagome!"

He sat up to look at her properly and glared at the girl as he caught sight of her. Instantly, he was pulled from his anger when she launched herself at him with a cry and buried her face in his chest.

"Inu…ya..sh-sha…"

"O-Oi, don't cry wench!" after five hundred years, he still couldn't handle crying women, and especially not her. He'd seen her return home every time, and watched her cry over him with regret in the pit of his stomach. It hurt especially, during the affair with Kikyo to listen to her compare herself to the undead miko and it hurt even more to know he was the cause of her doing so. He had done it so many times himself.

"I'm not crying! You…you stupid jerk!" she glanced up to the top of his head and frowned. Naraku had never had Inuyasha, and had never hurt him. What his purpose for doing so could have been she did not know, and her only guess was that it had been the mental warfare that he was so good at.

"Hey! I save your sorry hides and you call me a jerk?"

It went back and forth like that, and a slight grin touched Shippo's lips. While it wasn't exactly as it had been, he was indeed reminded of old times hunting the shards.

"Osuwari!"

Shippo nodded decisively. Yep, just like old times. He sighed and glanced over his shoulder to see that the other fox had changed into a humanoid form –something only powerful youkai could accomplish- and blinked when he saw the male casually talking with his sensei. He dared not ask though, as it was neither his place to do so nor would he be told unless Sesshomaru wished him to know.

* * *

"She's a cute human Sesshomaru… how do you keep finding them, my friend?" ice blue eyes sparkled with the mischief only a fox could achieve and he offered a fanged grin to the taiyoukai when the taller male stared coldly at him. "Now, now, no need to be hostile… I'm only curious."

"Such is expected from a fox."

"Ahh but I am not just any fox now am I?" he steeled himself and craned his head to the side to gaze at the dog demon. "My kin are not meant to get along with dogs, at least not well… but rest assured you are one whom I hold great loyalty to. Though, it may not mean much since I'm not really youkai…"

"…The miko is fond of you."

The black haired fox shrugged and leaned against the tree he'd picked as his own. "It's the ears… I hear she has a fetish for them…"

"Tails as well."

Immediately the nine tails of the black fox wrapped around the waist of their owner. "So what are we to do about the problem at hand? You have my support… but mine alone will do very little, least of all if Reikai wishes to get involved. Indeed I am influential there…but not enough on my own."

A crash interrupted them and all heads swiveled to gaze at the fuming miko as she stared down at the hanyou who was muttering curses into the ground. Meters away the wolf stood smirking at his fallen rival and they had but to guess what had happened. Neither of the two canine youkai had ever gotten along and the miko was always swift to put their petty arguments to rest.

"Feisty little thing isn't she?"

"Indeed."

"She adopted a kit you've told me… I'll have to reward her for such." When he spotted the taiyoukai's glare the fox waved his hands around defensively; "I don't mean like _that_ you idiot!"

"Such would be expected from a fox."

"Such protectiveness expected from a dog…" It was true enough after all, that he had only adopted that atrocious form to test her tolernce of youkai. It pleased him that she was indeed much different than her incarnation; she seemed to be a different person, and he knew she was. He wasn't as foolish as the hanyou.

"Naturally…Inari."

The red fox twenty feet away promptly fell over.

* * *

He sighed and hung up the phone again. There was no answer at the shrine and Yusuke had begun to worry. After what Kurama had told him of what had occurred the other day he'd had a bad feeling in the pit of his gut. He learned long ago not to ignore such things. His train of thought was suddenly derailed by the sound of a loud obnoxious beep. "Yeah, what?"

"Still so rude!"

"Ya expectin' different?"

There was a long pause, then a breathy sigh. "No I suppose not."

"So what do ya want? I ain't in the mood!" he growled, almost in a feral manner, and had to withhold a smirk at the stutter in the voice of his 'boss'.

"Purification again…this time in Makai." That had his attention. "A portal was detected going from Ningenkai to Makai early this morning as well…"

"So what…I find it and catch it or find it and kill it?" either option sounded rather appealing to the frazzled nerves of his beast in that instant.

"It is preferable that you bring the source back alive."

"Yeah, yeah… the whole team right?"

"Of course. I'm sending Botan to transport you." Yusuke rolled his eyes and shook his head at the comment. As if he hadn't known that already.

"Yeah… cause I was about to just jump out the window and fly there myself."

He heard a disgruntled sigh followed by the click that signaled they had been disconnected. It was ten minutes later that the three of their current team stood before the small god with thinning patience, some more than others.

"This is the last location that ki has been sensed. The western lands."

* * *

The spider frowned at the sight before him. It was an unexpected turn of events, but it was nothing that he could not handle. For Sesshomaru to have gotten the aid of a kami however, had unsettled him. It was of no consequence for the time being though, and so he would turn his attention to the bigger issue at hand. They had wandered freely into the Makai, and he was torn between making a move or waiting them out. Both ideas had their ups and downs, but the thought of regaining what was his swiftly swayed his decision.

"Hakudoshi." The boy looked towards him from the doorway and he barely paid him a glance in return. "Take your new toy, and go play will you?"

The fire that lit in the boy's eyes almost made him laugh, but he did not. He was proud though, of how this one had ultimately turned out. Such a love of mayhem and such ruthlessness was a prime trait in those privileged enough to serve him. The obedience the demon child held had been a nice touch that had happened almost on its own and only encouraged by his nudging.

Nonetheless, the way his offspring had turned out was no concern in that instant. There were much, _much_ bigger things for him to concern himself with. He still had a few cards to play in this game they were involved in, but they all knew this hand would be the last served in this battle. It was coming to a draw and the legend of the Shikon would be at an end soon enough. For the time being, he was going to have fun. His greatest desires would be fulfilled.

Come sunup a few days from then, the miko would be his. The jewel could wait.

* * *

**A/N: Again…you guys had better love me for this! Have you **_**ever**_** had someone update so fast for you just cause they felt like being nice? Once more, there wasn't much romance in this chapter (and **_**again **_**not unless you squint at it) but it will make a comeback.**

**This chapter is dedicated to IcyFire-MikoDemon once more for being such a big help and offering up beta services.**

**Inari is the Japanese god of foxes, and there are a few stories in folklore (as far as I've had the chance to read) where a person is rewarded for showing kindness to a fox. Inari is neither good nor bad, but can be a very benevolent god. There is a reason for his presence, and I promise it will be brief.**

**Any other questions on Inari (or anything) ask me in a review.**

**See you next chapter!**


	10. Incursion

_**Arachnophobia**_

**A/N: I'm absolutely pumped you guys. So I'm going to be nice and update. Don't ask me what my definition of 'nice' is. You don't want to know. Serenity Draco, my friend, you know what I mean I'm sure.**

**On a side note, this chapter has been reviewed by IcyFire-MikoDemon.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Say it with me people. FANfiction… **_**FAN**_**fiction. Notice the emphasis?

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Kagome couldn't sleep. It wasn't because she was giddy with excitement over Inuyasha, because she wasn't. She was happy to see that he was unharmed of course, but could not find it in herself to pull the usual excitement to the surface of emotions that had welled up within her. She dared not show said emotion however, or Sesshomaru might have resumed her training then and there. Nevertheless it was well past midnight, and she could not sleep. The sheer amount of youki that surrounded them, whether it was malicious or not, almost made her choke.

So with a groan, the miko climbed to her feet and pulled her wakizashi from her belt. She tiptoed away from the campsite –only a couple yards– and fell into the stance Sango had driven into her. Muscle memory was such a wonderful thing; she had not even to think of what to do. She hadn't realized she'd finished her kata –or even started it for that matter– until the sound of herself panting had reached her ears, as well as something else. She spun around, blade drawn before her and the sheath forgotten on the ground.

"Ah miko-chan…" he waved his hands defensively, a grin on his face that displayed his fangs. "Now, now… stand down before one of us gets hurt ne? Specifically me."

"Ah gomen!" Kagome grinned as she fumbled to sheath her blade. That done she secured it to her belt once more and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Anou… sorry about that, its just…well…"

"You're a miko in Makai… perfectly understandable." He raised an eyebrow and craned his head back to look at her. "Demo…I actually thought your nerves would be shot worse than needing to run through a kata."

Kagome blinked a few times, then shrugged. She was plenty used to overwhelming youki from her time spent in the feudal era, though there had been enough humans there to balance out the energy. "Well… I like the company of youkai…most humans annoy me actually."

It was his turn to blink for a moment before he burst out in a rich laughter that made Kagome smile. It seemed contagious as only moments later she began giggling before it transitioned into full-blown laughter.

"A strange miko indeed!" with a deep breath, Inari calmed himself and gazed at her with sparkling ice blue eyes. "But that's why I like you."

"Eh?"

"Mou, not like that…" he sighed and shook his head in mock despair. "Sesshomaru really _did _train you…being suspicious like that…but it'll keep you alive ne?"

Kagome stood stock still, her face flushed, and her lips slowly quirked into a grin that –for the first time in a long time– met her eyes. "You're funny… its so rare that I meet youkai with a sense of humor…most either try to kill me or have a ten foot pole shoved up their ass."

"Meaning your sensei?" he got his answer when she casually glanced off to the side and averted her eyes to the sky. No denial had passed her lips and that made him laugh again. He took a moment to regain a normal rhythm of breathing and once he did so she spoke.

"You seem so different from when you yanked me off the field before…"

"Battle requires a different attitude than a casual conversation with friends ne?" she blushed again, but grinned in agreement. "You should try to get some sleep. We head out at dawn, if I know Sesshomaru."

"Okay… arigatou Inari-sama."

"Oi, just call me by my name huh?" he flashed her a grin, which she readily returned, and watched as she nodded her consent and climbed into her sleeping bag. Cute little thing she was, and he could certainly sense the wounded spirit that lay right beneath the surface. It was indeed wounded, but it was still there. For all he knew to have happened, even he as a kami applauded her.

* * *

They had been marching through the never-ending forests for four days, stopping only for food and a few hours rest. It was the same hunt all over again it felt like, and it really was in a manner of speaking.

Kagome, though she appeared to have been daydreaming, had busied herself with the task of keeping track of each nearby bit of youki she could sense. And there was a _lot_. It had begun to give her somewhat a headache.

"Kaa-san?"

Kagome shrieked and latched onto the person closest to her, which happened to be a laughing Inari, at the sudden voice. She hadn't realized she'd slipped so far into her self appointed task.

"Miko…if this Sesshomaru sees that you become so unaware again…" he let the threat hang in the air and almost grinned at the way his pack member paled.

"No! I was…I mean…it's the damn youki!"

Shippo snickered but shook his head in sympathy. He understood why it bothered her more than it had in the feudal era. "Oi Kaa-san… I didn't mean to scare you but I think you can let go of Inari-sama ne?"

"Mou, what is it with you people and formalities?" he glanced down to the miko humorously as she turned a bright shade of red and shot away from him.

Inuyasha watched it all regretfully. It had been he that she had clung to for protection and security once. That had come to an end gradually over time, and he knew it had slowed because his trips to see Kikyo had become more frequent. He'd been so enamored by the dead miko that he'd made the biggest mistake of his life. With a grunt of displeasure he took to the trees to keep watch from a distance. He would not leave, but he did not desire to be in such close proximity. He followed them in hiding for another few hours before he watched with slight humor as Kagome weaseled a break for a late lunch out of his brother.

In the years that had passed the two inu brothers had become closer than any could have thought possible. Granted, Sesshomaru had no problem beating Inuyasha to an inch of his life should the boy do something he deemed unacceptable; although, Inuyasha was convinced most of said beatings were simply for the taiyoukai's amusement, and some probably were. Admittance of that however, would keep the hanyou holding his breath for the rest of his life.

He couldn't blame the taiyoukai though. If he had been in his brother's place, if he had watched himself abuse the love Kagome had offered for so long, he would have done worse. Even as he looked back on the memories, he cringed and leaned back in his tree. He had been a fool, just as they had always told him and yet he still searched for Kikyo. He still loved the undead miko, but he no longer desired to love her romantically. Despite this, he had still managed to hurt Kagome with his obsession with her incarnation. If he had been there when that youkai attacked her family, he might have been able to save the boy that called him his hero.

He was no hero and he knew it.

He wanted to make amends with Kagome, just as he had promised upon her departure five hundred years ago. He _would _settle the score.

"We're moving! Shippo help me pack up?"

The way her blue eyes sparkled when she looked at the fox made Inuyasha's heart lurch in pain. She had looked at him with such fondness once, even if she was merely looking at her son. He missed the fleeting looks she had once given him when she believed he had not been looking. He had always been looking, but he had never actually _seen_ her. Nonetheless he watched with a heavy heart as an eager Kouga leapt forward to assist her as well, unasked.

* * *

It was an hour later in their trek across the land that the first youkai attacked. A large ogre bearing the mark of a spider lumbered onto their path and swung for Kagome. The miko ducked with a squeak, but ultimately little effort. She tucked into a roll and somersaulted to put distance between the two of them as Inuyasha attacked from behind. She sulked, almost disappointed, but loaded an arrow at the ready anyway.

"Don't Kagome. We're already at enough risk with the purification you used yesterday."

"I said I was sorry about that!" she scowled at the kit that was her son, though no malice reached her features. Never could muster malice, not at him. Instead she drew her blade and adopted a defensive posture. Just in time it seemed.

The confrontation lasted mere minutes, though it dragged on as if it had been days instead. Sango had put an end to a decent amount of the attacking youkai, Miroku had managed a brief use of the air void, and Inuyasha had launched quite a few wind scars. Kagome, though guarded by two foxes and a taiyoukai, had begun playing a fierce game of avoid and evade.

It was when they thought they'd won the small battle that it all went downhill. The army of youkai had been demolished, the jewel was safe, and then _he _showed. He stood across from them on the battlefield and miasma filled the air. His 'son' stood at his side.

Kagome hit the ground.

"Such marvelous work Kikyo has done ne Kagome-chan?" Hakudoshi grinned at the fallen miko as the quiet, horrified murmur of 'nani?' from Inuyasha went ignored. "Miasma works so much better on you now, ne?"

"What the fuck you bastard? Kikyo did nothing to Kagome!"

Kagome blinked back tears, and -stupidly- averted her gaze to the ground where she sat on her hands and knees. She didn't have the heart to reveal that it was indeed the truth. Kikyo hadn't meant to do so, she was sure –she and the older miko had come to an understanding of one another – but ever since she'd returned to the modern era Kagome felt more and more of her soul slipping away from within herself. The undead miko had been trying to survive, and Kagome could not fault her for that. It was her, after all, who had given Kikyo the message so long ago.

'_Give life a chance.'_

And then it happened. Everyone had been so focused on the puppet and his supposed son that stood before them –it seemed he hadn't grown tired of that trick– that they'd forgotten to watch the razed area behind them. The miko's scream brought them back to their senses.

Inuyasha tried to get to her, as did Sesshomaru, but both were stopped; the rest were occupied by the remaining youkai under Naraku's influence. The human Hakudoshi controlled stood in front of them, a curious glow about him. They supposed Naraku had done something to alter the man, but the energy he let off would not allow them all that close without injury. Moreover Kagome had ordered that the man not be harmed. He himself was innocent after all. Hakudoshi himself fought with the trio that made up a monk, a taijiya, and the leader of wolves.

Kouga screamed out to her and was struck down as retribution for being distracted. The miko cried out in horror as he fell, but could do nothing to aid him.

The tentacles that had wrapped around her legs burned when they touched her bare skin, and Kagome shrieked as they made an attempt to pull her to the ground. A wide berth of shadow shimmered further behind her and she recognized it for what it was; a portal. He'd summoned a portal with a plan to drag her off to where, she didn't know. Purification licked at her skin, but she restrained the dangerous power. They could not be found out and Naraku knew it. Nonetheless, the presence of the holy ki just beneath her skin seemed enough to grant her freedom of movement. Hurriedly, she unsheathed her blade, sliced a tiny path to freedom, and sprinted towards her companions. Instantly, she was tugged up against Inari though the kami paid her not a single glance.

"Stay here."

She frowned in protest but nodded her head in agreement. Had she not been backed into such a corner where her abilities were concerned, she could have been of use for once. Then she felt it. Her eyes widened so much that she was surprised they hadn't fallen from her head and she stumbled back. They had to leave and they had to leave that second. As she looked around frantically, Kagome bit her lower lip anxiously.

Yusuke could not find her in such a situation. Kurama could not find her in such a situation.

"Shi-chan!" the red fox raised an eyebrow at the name, but picked up what she had sensed over the presence of Naraku and Hakudoshi. "Get us out of here!"

The puppet cursed and lurched towards the miko, intent on seizing her in time.

Shippo glanced to his sensei, and upon receiving a subtle nod of confirmation the lot of them were swallowed up and dropped unceremoniously onto the grounds of the shrine. Multiple groans of displeasure filled the air but his blood froze in his veins at the words next spoken.

"Where is Kagome?"

* * *

"Looks like we just missed one hell of a party…" Yusuke let out a low whistle at the sight before him. More demons than he'd ever seen in one sitting lay dead in a battle worn clearing that had once been a thick patch of trees.

"Indeed…poison still lingers in the air. As does slight purification." The avatar frowned at the scent of poison that tainted the air and his eyes flashed gold. A rather sloppy –though still potent– form of kitsune magic had mostly dispelled it, but still it remained. He had not sensed such poison in five centuries. The last time such a potent miasma had been sensed had been in the age of the Shikon no Tama, a treasure that had always managed to evade him. The power it could grant had never been appealing to him, but the reputation he'd have gained from being able to acquire the jewel had. He broke from the memories and shoved Youko back into his mind. There was no time for him to argue with his other half.

"So…what should we do now? We obviously missed something big and it obviously involved this purification or whatever we're hunting." Yusuke crossed his arms over his chest and scowled in distaste. He wanted nothing more than to finish with his mission, go home, and find Kagome. He missed her.

"Hn. The essence of a portal remains."

Yusuke blinked at his darker teammate and frowned. "Portal? Can you tell where to?"

The glare the hybrid flashed him told the detective that he could not trace its destination and that he did not wish to admit to such a failure no matter how slight. Ridiculous though it was. "So you can't. Ok we're back to square one?"

Kurama glanced at him and Yusuke restrained a frown at the domination of gold in his friend's eyes. He knew what that meant.

"It would seem so." A significant silence followed soon after, and much was left unsaid.

"Fox, look here." Hiei's voice broke through the tense atmosphere and the two turned to look at him. Kurama walked over to where he had been called to and followed his friend's gaze.

Blood. Human blood, though unscented, painted the ground a near black crimson.

"What about it?" green eyes turned to the detective as he peered over his shoulder and Kurama frowned as he knelt down and ran his fingers over it.

"The scent is hidden…but there is no doubt that this is human blood."

Brown eyes widened then snapped back to the dark spot on the ground. "Human? So what, did someone get dragged here or something?"

"Perhaps…but this area is too far from the barrier to be a mere kidnapping case. Someone came here willingly, possibly by accident. There are no signs of a struggle elsewhere."

"So what now? Do we keep looking for this person with purification or do we go looking for this human now?"

Kurama was silent for an extended period of time before he spoke once more. "I'm not so sure the two cases are unrelated…"

"Fine. Then how do we trace 'em?"

"Reiki was used here, and slight purification as well. We trace the energy and we do it quickly. It is already fading." A nod was the only response Yusuke offered, which was more than the last of their team offered at all.

"Ok. Lets move it then."

* * *

It had taken beyond the time of sunup, but he had reached his latest and most important goal. A grin twisted his lips as he watched the scene before him and Naraku craned his head back to look at those before him. "Well done my servant…you may forget and rejoin your comrades. I've no further use for you at the moment."

Naraku watched the male walk away with his son and his pet, though his hands shook at the effort to release the hold on him. But Naraku knew he would not, could not break free, and soon all was forgotten. So the spider turned towards the one that remained before him and offered a smile that would certainly seem out of place. "Have you missed me my dear?"

A whimper flitted through the air to grace his ears and she flinched away from him. He knew she could do nothing, lest she land herself in a Reikai prison or worse; she would be used as a weapon for them, she would be forced into their servitude simply for what she was.

Even so it did not matter. She was his, and he had gotten what he wanted. He was about to reclaim what was truly his. He knew though, that she was defiant. He would have to change that. He would have to show her who she belonged to. And he would prove to her just how much she belonged to him.

_And so it began.

* * *

_

**A/N: Wow. Lots of drama this chapter huh? I hope you guys liked it. I stayed up till 5am writing it for you and I had a lot of fun doing it too. If you couldn't tell I was in a bit of a sadistic mood when it came to my characters in this chapter. You can all thank Serenity Draco for this update! If she hadn't reminded me that she was waiting for it every time we talked... it might have been another week before it was uploaded. Thanks also goes to my beta of course.**

**Oh and before I forget… to anyone following this on MediaMiner… the site hasn't been letting me upload the files for the past few chapters. If anyone has an idea of why, please let me know.**

**This chapter's dedication goes to two people. IcyFire-MikoDemon & Serenity Draco. Both of them have been such a big inspiration and support that it's only necessary.**

**I'll see you all next chapter!**


	11. Manipulation

_**Arachnophobia**_

**A/N: Surprise! Haha didn't expect me to update so soon did you? Well I figured I out to thank you for 11 reviews in three days. You guys are the best!**

**This chapter has been reviewed by IcyFire-MikoDemon.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Say it with me people. FANfiction… **_**FAN**_**fiction. Notice the emphasis?

* * *

**

"What do you mean 'where's Kagome'?" with his nose pressed mere inches from the wolf's, Shippo had to restrain himself from tearing into the older demon.

"Keh! All that so-called 'training' and she still gets her ass kidnapped."

As those words passed the half demon's lips the red fox spun around with such an expression that Inuyasha took pause. It was a well-known fact that when Inuyasha knew it time to shut his mouth –and actually _did _so– whatever event it was to be taking place, was big.

"I didn't see _you_ notice her absence Inuyasha…frankly I didn't expect you to either. Your level of intellect isn't high enough to register anything that quickly now is it?" The comment was spoken with such a level of casualty that spectators of the argument could not help but laugh, some more blatantly than others. Kouga gave such a howl of laughter that he managed to choke to the point of relentless coughing.

Inuyasha growled at the kitsune but still, held his tongue.

"Impressive my friend…." Miroku pat his friend on the back as he walked up to attempt placating the situation. "It seems five hundred years is all it took to temper that tongue of yours."

"Not now, you bouzo!"

"_Enough_." The composed command that had passed the fox god's lips held such authority to it that all life in the vicinity stilled. Eyes still narrowed, Inari turned a glance to the monk and nodded in approval. "Bickering is doing nothing, save for wasting our time, surely even _you _see that much, do you not Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha opened his mouth to retort, remembered who it was that stood before him, and snapped it shut once more.

"Wise choice." He turned to the red fox but did not soften. "Shippo, you are of my kin. I expect better of you than to waste time baiting this dope. I would expect this of any of Sesshomaru's students, but more of you. One of my own should have more wit than that. Do you think your mother has the time for you to fight with the hanyou?"

Shippo stilled, and then looked down. He had not felt such shame since he'd been a child. "Hai, Inari-sama."

"Baka." Inari swatted the red fox upside the head. "Just because I scold you doesn't mean I changed my mind about hating formalities among my companions."

He stopped and regained himself as he observed them for a moment. They were ready to listen.

"Now. This is what we do. The wolf and the humans remain here. It was foolish of you to leave this realm without someone stationed her as it was. The rest of us shall return to makai and fetch Kagome-chan."

Inuyasha frowned, and a sudden thought occurred to him. "What about the-"

"I have the tama." As the words passed his lips Inari twirled the pink bauble around his index finger casually. The miko had more stealth than she'd been given credit for; he wasn't even sure when she had slipped the jewel into his pocket. "It will remain in my care until Kagome is retrieved. Objections?"

_Silence reigned._

"Good. Now lets go."

* * *

As she gasped desperately for air, Kagome bit her bottom lip so hard it split. She could feel his hands all over her, she could feel her body shaking at the mere thought of his touch returning. Her clothing was little more than shreds and her skin crawled with the feeling of his hands. There were few actual wounds on her person but the ones she had gained bled just heavily enough to be an irritant but not enough to endanger her life; ever since the jewel had made her immortal such things had lost quite an amount of their potential danger.

All the same she had never been so thankful for the training Miroku had provided her with. It was only her ability to construct a barrier of sheer purification that had saved her from anything worse than a caress. The only reason he had touched her at all was because she knew to conserve her energy. After an hour of getting nowhere he had left her with a promise to return soon.

But as she hung by the bonds of her wrists, she knew she was alone; he would not be back for quite awhile. A lone guard was stationed at her door –that she could sense- and he was fairly of a low level. Naraku wasn't foolish enough to leave her that unguarded; she knew that to be fact.

Something else was out there.

It was a risk she would have to take. As she turned a fierce glare on the bonds that held her in place Kagome eyed the naginata that leaned against the wall to her left, and she got an idea. Her legs had been left free for reasons that Naraku had yet to fulfill and he would come to regret such a mistake. With a hard thrust of her left leg, several other things went crashing to the floor and the bladed weapon fell towards her.

That had been either the best, or worst idea she could have ever come up with. She cringed and shut her eyes in anticipation of her sure decapitation. She should have known better; her luck wasn't that good. At least it would spare Naraku the satisfaction of killing her, or indulging himself beforehand for that matter. It never came.

When her left arm fell free she almost cheered and had to slap her hand over her mouth to muffle the slight sound that she did make. The guard had been too stupid to check when the weapons had fallen and she was more than happy to take advantage of his or her or its slip up turned huge-ass mistake. She made quick work of freeing her other hand. There had been one more mistake made, and she'd been astounded when she realized it.

She still had her gun safely tucked away beneath her jacket. And it was loaded. Naraku had never gotten close enough to notice the hidden weapon. "Well, what do ya know?"

The miko didn't waste time congratulating herself, and only spared enough of a moment to check her supply of ammunition. That had remained in tact as well. She was slightly suspicious of such luck but had learned a long time ago not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Naraku made plenty of mistakes; the only problem was determining which of them were intentional or not.

Nonetheless she didn't take time to ponder such philosophies and inched along the wall to the door. She frowned at the lock and pondered the problem for a moment. The room she'd been tossed into was pretty old. Her eyes lit up at the old nail that hung precariously out of the wall. It had been used to hold up the weapons she'd knocked over. She set to work prying it from the aging wood of the wall. "Ok my rusty little friend… time to serve a much more fulfilling purpose."

That done she set to work picking the lock. She never thought she would ever be so glad in her life that being able to perform such mundane tasks was such a large part of the taijiya training that Sango forced down her throat. The sound of a door clicking open had never felt so rewarding. She pushed open one of the many barriers to freedom and held her gun at the ready. "Gomen…"

The demon meant to be her guard looked up, startled from what seemed to be a nap, and she gave him no time to alarm anyone. She would have to thank Shippo later for buying her a silencer for her new weapon. She checked the body for anything useful, pocketed a small dagger and sprinted off down the winding hallways. One thing Naraku had certainly not lost his taste for was to use a maze of a castle as his headquarters. She supposed it was rather arrogant of him, and absently made a promise to burn the wretched place to the ground. Losing his base of operations would do significant damage to whatever his plans could be.

She shot down another youkai, uttered a prayer for the poor soul, and grabbed a fistful of hair from its scalp; it wasn't a pleasant thing to do, but the survivalist instincts that both Sango and Sesshomaru had drilled into her stood firm. She knew there was a reason she'd grabbed that dagger. Slight youki still tainted the hair and would serve as cover until she could put it to its intended use.

She ran as fast as her legs could manage. If there was one thing she could do, it was run. She'd spent the majority of her time in the feudal era playing avoid and evade with just about any youkai that crossed her path. Whether they wanted the jewel, or she looked like a good meal, she'd never bothered to stop and ask. Most would simply shout out their motive then lunge at her in hopes of accomplishing it. She cursed and pulled herself out of the danger of reminiscing. She would get an earful from Sesshomaru for allowing her attention to waver like that.

Eyes wide she could see the light of day past the gate. She was almost there, she was so close. Her hand outstretched and her fingertips brushed the wooden frame of the door.

"Hello Kagome."

* * *

"Fuck we're getting nowhere out here." Inuyasha snarled through his teeth, frustrated with several different issues, ranging from the loss of Kagome to the wind blowing his hair into his face.

"Stop whining and just keep alert." Shippo was curt with Inuyasha now, and it almost worried the hanyou.

"I don't see you makin' any remarkable discoveries!"

"Oh just go sc- what's that?" Shippo never missed the chance to best Inuyasha, and so the question caused the simultaneous turning of heads to the north. Just in time. The fox's eyes widened and Inuyasha cursed.

"Aw fuck. Hit the deck!" The taste of topsoil wasn't pleasant but it was certainly not unfamiliar to Inuyasha. He had recently been reacquainted with it not even a day before. It was preferable to being blown up at the very least. He pulled himself from the dirt, growled and set to wiping the soil off of himself. "The fuck was that?"

Slowly and calmly the two forms of Inari and Sesshomaru stepped from their hiding place of the surrounding trees, and the taiyoukai arched a finely sculpted brow at his younger sibling. "Such patois Inuyasha…I must say it is an improvement for you."

"Yeah, yeah, cut the damn commentary… what the hell just tried to off us?"

Calmly, Inari walked over to the still smoking crater and frowned at the sight it beheld. Whatever it had once been, it had not been aimed at them. It was the debris of a nearby battle. He could hear the clash of metal on metal and raised an illusion around their small party. There wasn't much difference in their appearances and that was where the beauty of it lay; it was so simplistic and people of their day and age over thought things far too much to guess it. Things were _never _as complicated as so many made them out to be. "Nothing was actively trying to… 'off' us as you say. We were caught in the crossfire of something else entirely."

"Should we check it out? It might provide a lead to Naraku's whereabouts."

The red fox must have been desperate to find the miko if he had not already noticed. The jewel had been leading them the entire time, after some moderate coaxing from the kami. That was the only reason he did not call the boy out on missing such a thing. He was certainly not a righteous kami, but he was not cruel to a child missing their mother. It served them just as well to do so, for they had begun to close in on the miko's location.

In all his existence he could not recall the jewel being so bonded to any of its guardians. Such a bond that the jewel demanded immortality in fear of being separated from her he had never seen among a sentient being and its guardian before and especially nothing as dangerously unstable as the Shikon. Alas, it was of no concern and he turned his attention to the red fox when the boy cursed and fled back to regroup; he had to pull Inuyasha alongside him via his ear, but seemed to have no qualms in doing so.

"Damn it you runt, what the hell is your problem!"

"Hush!" Shippo hissed the command out between his teeth and glanced over his shoulder subtly to make sure they had not been heard. "That battle up there…that's Kaa-san's boyfriend and he can't see us here, him or his friends."

"Agreed. We have wasted enough time." Inari had taken once more to toying absently with the jewel, but should one look it would seem to be no more than one of the key chains sold at the shrine. The illusions he could cast were far beyond that of mere youkai; it was his specialty after all. Nonetheless, they began their trek once more, at a much faster pace than had been previously set. Kagome could not be found by anyone but them.

_If only for her own sake, they had to find her __**first**__.

* * *

_

"Where are they all coming from?" Yusuke ducked as one went flying overhead, shot it in the back and watched in satisfaction as it proceeded to explode. It was an odd thing to see, but he wasn't complaining. If the stupid things wanted to off themselves that was just fine with him. He blinked and turned back to look in that direction. It had felt as if someone had been looking at them –he was certain that there had been- but by the time he'd turned around nothing was there; it was not an unusual thing considering where they were.

The sound of tearing flesh brought him back to the presence. He turned just in time to dodge the falling remains of a rather large ogre as Kurama sliced it in half. The man simply never got tired of that rose whip. It had taken awhile, but they'd finally dispatched the weak, but numerous youkai that had swarmed them.

As Yusuke gazed around, he noted his team had paused long enough to survey the scene as well. "Yeah…this wasn't some random attack was it?"

"Is it ever with us?"

"…point taken." Yusuke sighed, shoved his hands into his jean pockets and shrugged his shoulders dramatically. "That reiki… its closer but…it feels…weaker? Drained maybe?"

Gold eyes stared at him for a moment and the detective involuntarily stiffened under the gaze he found himself. Being stared down by Hiei was bad enough, but there was something far more unnerving that came with Youko doing so.

"Perhaps so… still, we follow it. It remains traceable."

Yusuke gulped and nodded in hesitant agreement. On that note, they gathered themselves without a word and headed out. The reiki was faint, but it was there.

They would find it.

* * *

She was tired. She was so _very _tired. The second her name had been spoken she'd kicked down the door and sprinted off as fast as she could. She hadn't gotten far when she'd been dragged backwards by her ankle, but she refused to be taken captive again. She shot off the tentacle that held her in its clutches and scrambled back to her feet. After thirty minutes of non-stop fighting on her own, she was exhausted. Adrenaline however, was a powerfully helpful aspect for the life she was forced to lead.

"Maa maa Kagome-chan…that fire of yours has so diminished, I'm almost disappointed."

"Really?" She paused to regard him for a moment, and his amusement successfully lowered his guard enough for her to act. He fell back clutching the burnt flesh of his left shoulder mere inches above his heart where her bullet had pierced him –coated in purifying ki at that, she didn't care for the risk of exposure- and she grinned. "Do I still disappoint?"

She did not wait to receive an answer, but instead dove towards the looming forest to where she felt the jewel's presence. She did not forget her silent vow though. She charged the stolen youkai's hair with purification. It hit the side of the castle with a resounding blast and the ancient building caught flame. The sound of the fire roaring behind her only increased her resolve.

They were coming for her, and they were not the only ones. Her feet felt like weights and she stumbled several times before she hit her knees. Still panting her head shot up at what she could sense. Three groups were heading her way, each at a near breakneck speed. "Aw shit…"

Her eyes flitted about the small patch of woods as she tried to discern just how far each group was. Naraku was coming up from behind, but she'd managed –by some miracle- to hold up a barrier long enough to put plenty of distance between them so that he was not the closest to her. She swelled with hope at how close she could sense the group she was most familiar with. Having them so close gave her a sense of security that she knew she should not allow. Just because they were close did not mean she was safe.

The third group was what she worried about.

Yusuke and Kurama were heading her way at a pace she could not avoid. There was another in front of them moving at more than double the speed. "Double shit…"

She ruffled her hair with a growl and bit her bottom lip in thought. She was good at doing things like this; she was an expert at keeping secrets. People might think her an idiot for some of the excuses she had to come up with, and it only ever served to make her laugh. If her excuses were truly that idiotic, she simply had to grin at what that made them for believing her in the first place.

A sudden nearby sense of youki jolted her from her thoughts enough to spur a reaction that saved her. She had remembered the way Shippo had created that portal, had engraved the feel of the way he had manipulated that energy into her mind; it was a risk, but she did it. She lifted her hand and used every bit of her willpower to create the rift. It was a risk, she could have very well landed herself in the bottommost layer of hell, but she did not. She landed hard on a sidewalk in Tokyo from five feet in the air. She hit the ground with a groan and gave a brief scan of her surroundings.

She was alone for the most part, but the most important thing was that there was nothing malicious nearby. All the same she was simply grateful she had landed back on the human realm of earth. With the general run of her luck, logic stated she should have landed somewhere on Pluto. But she had not, and she was safe; she was wounded, but she was safe. For the time being she was safe. With a huff she resolved to the fact that she could not move, and flopped back to the ground, exhausted.

Kagome saw darkness.

* * *

The heat that had risen in the air did not bother him. Nothing any youkai could do had much ability to bother him. He had absorbed at least one or two of every known kind, and he was proud of it. All the same he knew he had made the mistake of abandoning his waning humanity in the feudal era, for one simple reason. Purification harmed him even more than it had beforehand. The blood of a human heart that had once protected him from the complete obliteration of purification was no longer.

She had nearly gotten him in the heart. He had underestimated her. He had thought her fire to have long since vanished. He had been wrong. His calculations had not been off by much, her soul was indeed rather wounded, but the spark still remained even if it was nothing more than a glowing ember at that point in time.

The spider was not concerned with that though. The mistake had been made and his plans needed to be slightly altered. It might have been a good thing though, for the plans that slowly replaced the originals offered far more excitement to course through his bleeding veins.

It was all thanks to the faction closing in on him that he would be able to achieve such a goal.

He felt them before he saw them. One in black clothing appeared first and he was hard pressed not to absorb the smaller demon to gain his power then and there. He had learned from that mistake though, and so he restrained himself.

His wound of purification was regarded with such a critical eye that he knew for certain why they were there. Reikai had sent in the first efforts to find the miko. When a boy stumbled from the surrounding foliage followed by a redhead with far more grace he had to fight hard to keep the smile from his face. He knew these people. He knew who and what they all were. He had much in store for them as well, even if they would only serve as a means to an end. Ultimately they were no more than pawns in a deadly game of chess. They would never know they were being used until it was too late.

He had been wounded, and his plans had been set back quite a bit, but the ones to take their place would be so much more entertaining. He feigned weakness –something his memories from his time as a human helped with– as they spoke with him. Finally the question of who had managed to wound him in such a manner had been asked, and the real games could begin.

"It was…a miko…" he heard the sharp intake of breath of both the red haired avatar and the hybrid youkai and once more found himself challenged to retain his amusement. "Stormed through my home…killed my servants…and burnt it down…"

He trailed off after that, fully sensing the stirrings of what he knew to be a mixture of emotions. Anger, disgust, mistrust, and a faint taste of hate were all on the air; he was familiar with them all. It was an exquisite cocktail that could only be appreciated by a few select individuals. He had certainly caused them enough times in his existence to know.

So he watched quietly. He watched and listened as they conversed, both openly and mentally. It was no secret to one such as himself that the hybrid bore the jagan, for the same power lay within his offspring, the one he was proudest of. Hakudoshi caused the mayhem that Naraku so adored. He blinked as they suddenly broke off their conversation with a promise from the detective to catch the person that had harmed him; they had left him be after assurance that he would be within reach should they need to contact him. He was not certain why they believed him, and he was not sure that they even had. But it did not matter. It would be nothing more than a small inconvenience. He watched as they peered into a compact that served as their method of communication and he watched as a portal appeared soon after. He was asked for his name and took a moment to look at them. "Gumo."

He would dare to use neither his human name from so long ago, nor his current one. It would be simply foolish. He was many things, but foolish was not one of them. So he watched as he was shot a glare by one of them, a look of calculation that rivaled his own from another, and a disgruntled snort from the last.

"Don't leave the area alright? Reikai can't see you now but ya ain't mortally wounded or anythin' so just hang here for awhile and we'll be back sometime this week."

He uttered something of an agreement to the boy and watched. They vanished from his sight a moment later and he finally allowed a grin to break out on his face.

_Things were going well.

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**A/N: So! Lots of stuff happened this chapter ne? I hope you guys liked it, I had a lot of fun writing it. Again, I was in a bit of a sadistic mood when it came to my characters in this chapter. I was a **_**tad **_**bit nicer than last chapter… but not by much.**

**goth_lolita, your review absolutely made my day and had to be one of the nicest I've gotten. I love all my reviewers but aside from my beta and my friend Serenity harassing me to write this chapter, it was **_**your **_**review that gave me the motivation to actually get it done and ready for uploading. So this chapter's dedication goes to you! Thanks so much for making me feel so accomplished as a writer, fanfiction or not.**

**I'll see you all next chapter!**


	12. Salvation

**A/N: Hello my faithful readers- did you miss me? I know, I know... its been awhile... a whole month actually. Sadly this might be my regular update rate for awhile. I just got a new puppy guys, and she's a shelter dog. You can understand that she takes priority over writing fanfiction right? Not that I don't love you guys too... but you can stand once a month. I know you loyal readers out there can!**

**This chapter has been reviewed by IcyFire-MikoDemon.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Say it with me people. FANfiction… **_**FAN**_**fiction. Notice the emphasis?

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"Well… looks like Naraku managed to piss off a pyro…" Shippo uttered the words casually as he examined the ashes that had once been the spider's typical residence. Naraku was anything but subtle, but he knew how to hide.

"Feh, who hasn't that bastard pissed off?"

Despite the gruff façade that had not waned in the span of five centuries, it was painstakingly easy to see through to the concern of the half demon. Nonetheless, Inuyasha's emotional masquerade was not what Sesshomaru was concerned with.

"It matters not Inuyasha… the miko's energy leads in this direction."

There was no collective sigh of relief and there were no sharp intakes of breath. There was no cause for relief or worry. Not yet. So they gathered themselves and followed the taiyoukai. It was a good distance later that they had begun to worry.

"The energy of a portal is here… rather crude too." Shippo paused and turned to Sesshomaru, concern paradoxically hidden yet obvious on his face. "You don't think Kaa-san would have…?"

"Course she would! Wench always did get her ass in trouble bein' reckless…"

"_You're_ calling _her_ reckless?" as he crossed his arms and rose an eyebrow Shippo had to wonder on the tone Inuyasha had used. He had to wonder if the half demon wished to once more try at a relationship with his mother.

"Enough of that." Inari sighed and glanced to the taiyoukai that was his friend. "Are you certain you are related to this one? He's nothing like you…"

"This Sesshomaru is aware…"

Shippo rolled his eyes, but grinned all the same. It wasn't every day that he got to see Inuyasha get picked on by both Sesshomaru and a kami. It would have made him laugh, had the wind not shifted.

"I'm beginning to catch her scent…" the red fox worried his bottom lip and gazed around at the forest, or what little remained of it; the fire that had consumed Naraku's residence had gotten quite a bit of the surrounding forests. No sooner had Shippo voiced his concern did the still silent Inari pull a pouch from his tunic. Curiosity won over. "Inari-sama? What's that?"

"Spores from a plant I've bred myself…" it was no secret that the kitsune race was more in tune with plants than any other though some held far more skill than others. Silvers were typically the best in terms of manipulating plant life while reds were skilled in illusions; where one might fail the other excelled. The god of their kind had no such limitations. "It will eradicate any scent she may have left, as well it will mask her energy signature. I'll show you how to breed it when there is time."

Had he been any younger, Shippo might have gaped in awe at the offer. Instead he managed to retain his composure enough to simply nod as he watched the blue-eyed kami work. It was bittersweet to feel his mother's scent as well as her energy slip away.

* * *

The first thing she realized was that her head hurt, badly. The second thing she realized was that she was inside a building, if the ceiling above her was any indication. With a groan, Kagome attempted to sit up just to be forced back into a horizontal position by someone she had not realized sat beside her. A slight sense of youki tickled her miko awareness, and she stiffened.

"You shouldn't move yet." The soft, timid voice reminded her vaguely of the half demon child, Shiori, from so long ago and Kagome was hard pressed not to just outright trust the speaker.

But she knew better. In all her dealings with Naraku, Kagome had learned to know better than that. Despite that knowledge the miko was swiftly persuaded back to slumber. That voice, while soft and timid, had an air about it that she simply could not say no to. So she simply remained thankful that Miroku had taught her how to retain awareness while sleeping. With that somewhat comforting thought in mind she drifted back to unconsciousness.

"These marks… they aren't normal. Whatever attacked her…is not from ningenkai."

The smaller female turned to her human friend and nodded her silent agreement. "Do you think she remembers?"

"Well that's the question, now isn't it? We'll have to wait and see is all, she's in no condition to go anywhere soon." As she shoved her hands in her sleeves, Genkai squinted once more at the unconscious girl. There was something strange about their guest yet she was hard pressed to find out what it was. It very well could have simply been her imagination, but her instincts said otherwise. Genkai wasn't one to ignore her instincts.

Footsteps that signaled their departure echoed through the room, and left the miko alone.

Slowly, she let her eyes flutter open to stare at the ceiling. The energy of the older woman had her worried, for it had reminded her of Kaede, and she knew that if her stay was prolonged even a little she would be found out. Kaede had always held the mysterious ability to simply _know _things without being told; it wasn't beyond the realm of reason that this woman who reminded her of the dear elderly miko could hold that same ability.

Kagome had learned a long time ago, to never ignore her instincts.

* * *

They hadn't been back in ningenkai for a grand total of two minutes and Yusuke's cell had begun to blare obnoxiously; why he had picked that ringtone he would never figure out. "Yeah?"

When the detective stopped walking and nearly fell over, Kurama became concerned.

"_Nani? _You sure she said her name was Kagome?"

When those words passed the detective's lips Kurama's blood ran cold. The presence of an unknown youkai had been felt the moment they had returned and he had to wonder if the woman had been attacked. The avatar's train of thought raced for the brief moment it took Yusuke to babble out nonsensical commands to the woman on the other end –and get scolded for doing so- but it was immediately derailed when the other man snapped his phone shut. The serious look on Yusuke's face was one he had seen only on rare –and usually dire- occasions.

"Yukina found a girl named Kagome near the shrine… they think a demon might have attacked her." Yusuke paused for a moment and pursed his lips. Genkai had said that there had been no signs of a struggle nearby, or any hostile youkai in the vicinity for that matter. That wasn't his concern at the moment though. If it _was_ his Kagome, if it _was_ a demon, and if she _remembered_ the attack then he didn't know what to do. He didn't want to be the cause of the invasion on her mentality that would occur, but he didn't want her to remember the horrors that came with being attacked in such a manner, and by a demon no less.

All the same, Yusuke didn't care at the moment. He would think on it later, once he knew whether or not it was the Kagome he feared it was. He hadn't even realized that they'd begun to run until the large staircase loomed before him. He ran up the stairs without a breath of a complaint, continued to run, and then slammed the door open so hard it rattled in place. His blood froze.

There, as she sat sipping tea with Yukina, was a very battered Higurashi Kagome. "K-Kagome?"

She choked on her tea and spun around so quickly he heard her neck crack. Ignoring the pleas of the smaller female demon by her side, Kagome stood on wobbly legs to face him. He was made to wonder if the attack had brought on insanity when she began to laugh hysterically. "_You're _the slacker Genkai-sama was talking about!"

"N-nani? Oi!"

As he used his hand to hide his grin, Kurama took in the appearance of the female. She didn't seem as distraught as someone who remembered such an attack would be; it was a relief that she would not have to go through such an experience. He turned back to her when Yusuke spoke the question that was likely on all their minds.

"Kag…what happened?"

The flash of pain that flitted through her eyes was not lost on him.

Though Kagome was quite used to lying through her teeth, even as she opened her mouth to speak the words, it hurt to do so. It pained her to lie to him. But she would, for she knew it would ultimately spare his life. Knowledge was power, and power could be a dangerous thing to have.

"I'm not sure… one minute I'm walking down the road, the next I'm waking up here." She shrugged and offered a halfhearted grin. "If it was someone trying to mug me I'd have to say they were sorely disappointed… I never carry much money on me."

It had indeed hurt to speak the words, and it had been a risk but after spending so many years in the company of demons she knew how to lie to them. One had to tell the truth, without telling the truth. She _had _walked for a bit before she passed out, and the next thing she knew really _was _waking up to where she currently resided; she wouldn't for long though. It was also true enough that if someone were to mug her they would not find much in terms of money.

Being able to tell a truthful lie was a powerful –though paradoxical- talent, particularly when dealing with youkai.

"Those marks weren't left by a person Kagome-chan…" One timid little koorime blew it all away.

Even though Yukina had blown her story, Kagome couldn't find it in herself to be angry with her. So instead she adopted a thoughtful look, her eyebrows creased and her index finger to her chin, before she shrugged. "A pack of wild dogs then?"

She had only to think of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha for that one; though said thoughts remained closely guarded as she used her meditative training with Miroku to keep her mind vacant. That demon in dark clothing had been probing her thoughts since before he had walked in the door. She was certain she knew why too; aside from what she was sure was a general mistrust of others, he had the same eyes as the female demon at her side.

It was rather annoying to guard against such probing. If she immediately shut him out he would know that something was up. If she let him in too far she ran the risk of him seeing something that he should not. More or less, she had to walk a tightrope that she could not dare to waver on. It was a painstaking task, one of which she could not fail at.

She noted that Yusuke had been led from the room by his sensei, and that Yukina had drifted off to a different room. She also noted that Kurama had gotten rather close, and looked concerned. It took her a moment to realize that he had been calling her name for quite a while.

"Ah gomen!" she bowed her head apologetically, and straightened back up with a grin that conveyed how badly her nerves were frayed. "I'm sorry Kurama… what did you say?"

A gentle smile was sent her way, as well as an understanding shake of the head. "I asked how you are feeling."

She followed his gaze to the multiple wounds that Yukina had bandaged and shrugged. "They kind of itch… but otherwise they're not so bad."

The way she smiled at him reassured him for a moment, though that reassurance was forgotten at the subtle look Hiei gave him.

_-She called you 'Kurama'.-_

_/Yusuke blurted it out in front of her once./_

_=And it is foolish mistakes like that, which will land us in the lead with her instead of the detective.=_

_/You speak as if this is a mere board game./_

_=There is no greater game than that of love.=_

Hiei had long since abandoned the conversation, and with a sigh the avatar set to work ignoring his counterpart as well. If there was one thing about Youko that could be agreed on, it was that he rather seemed to enjoy hearing himself speak at times.

"Kurama?"

"Ah, gomen nasai. I did not mean to ignore you." He blinked when she grinned at him with a mischievousness to rival a fox, and merely crossed her arms over her chest.

"Looks like we're even then ne?"

The way she tilted her head to the side and smiled at him forced him to return the expression she offered. It was no wonder that Youko clawed at the back of their shared mind for him to get closer to her. She was both beautiful and an enigma. One well-known fact about kitsune was their love of all things beautiful, as well as their love of a good puzzle, a trait he shared with his other half in every respect.

It was that moment that it became a mutual agreement to solve the puzzle presented to them. For the time being though, he would keep her company.

* * *

"What do ya mean 'there's something strange about her'? Kagome isn't strange…" Yusuke rubbed his head after a moment and then shrugged. "Well…not _our _version of strange anyway."

"You are blinded by your affection for her, baka."

"Yeah? Well the way she greeted me says you were chattin' like old friends or something." Arms crossed over his chest, Yusuke mustered the angriest scowl that he could manage and only received a blank stare in return.

"The easiest way to get someone to slip up and spill their secrets is to either make them edgy or complacent."

"Well lay off!" she blinked at his outburst but he did not care. He continued on. "Kagome is _my _girl and I'm not going to let you hurt her just cause you got a hunch. I don't give a shit if you were my sensei once. Kagome is _mine _and I _will_ protect her."

The way her former student stared her down both unnerved Genkai and impressed her. His eyes held a tinge of red, and a growl just barely escaped his lips. His devotion was admirable, but she feared for the safety of her favorite pupil. There was undoubtedly something off about that girl, even if she could not discern what it was. She was not entirely sure if the girl even knew of it, but she _would_ find out. In due time things would fall into place and answers would be either given or taken.

* * *

"I do not trust her."

Kurama turned from his watch of the sleeping Kagome –after he had to order her to take a nap when she began to waver on her feet- and raised an eyebrow at his friend. "Is that supposed to surprise me?"

"Hn, something is different about her."

"Indeed, there is. That is the very reason why I like her." He ignored the expression –however subtle- his friend shot in his direction, and only continued to watch the subject of their discussion as she slept.

"Genkai does not trust her either, fox."

That made him turn his head. Eyes a mixture of green and gold, he stared his friend down. "Would you like to clarify what you mean by that?"

_It wasn't so much a request as it was a command._

The conversation continued from there, and was more or less a wordless discussion. The two men more often than not shared glances and expressions that did not require a form of speech. Such was the bond of a friendship so close, no matter if either would admit to such a thing existing. In the end, both were left with even more questions and a lack of answers.

* * *

"Where is she?" the tip of Tetsuaiga narrowly missed the chance to decapitate the 'son' of Naraku as the wielder of the blade snarled in the boy's face.

A grin in place, Hakudoshi merely danced out of range and shrugged. "Tried to make a portal last time I saw… I wonder Inuyasha…do you think she landed herself in hell with Kikyo?"

A Kaze no Kizu to the face was all the response he received. With a dramatic sigh he strode from the unsettled dust that had resulted from said attack and shook his head. "Always so angry Inuyasha… its no wonder father was able to fool Kikyo so easily."

The half-breed made to attack him once more, and he would have succeeded in taking the bait had the taiyoukai not grabbed him by his hair and pulled him back. Hakudoshi showed no concern towards that, and only laughed at their pitiful attempts to get the location of their miko from him. Even that kami of theirs made no headway in gathering such information.

"You shame our father, Inuyasha, succumbing to emotions so easily."

"Shut the hell up! I'm goin' to tear this brat to pieces for that!"

A gaze colder than frozen salt water was sent his way, and Inuyasha shut his mouth. He did not however, seem at all pleased with having to do so.

A single saimyosho drew the attention of each of them and Hakudoshi offered a grin to them after a moment. "Sumimasen minna… it looks like I must leave. Father requires my presence. I wouldn't want you to be lonely though… I'll leave a few pets of mine for you to play with."

And so he did. They were pests, but they were taken care of after an annoyingly long ten minutes. Once they had done so, Inuyasha spun a glare to the blue-eyed fox god. "You were real fuckin' helpful!"

Undaunted, Inari stepped forward enough to speak civilly rather than speak across the razed battlefield; such was a trait Inuyasha seemed to be lacking in. "Calm yourself Inuyasha… more harm than good would have been done to make a power play in this instance."

With a shake of the head Shippo turned to his superior. "It may have been five hundred years… but he's _Inuyasha_, and he's known more for his thick skull than anything else. He doesn't get the concept of strategy."

"Oi! Don't talk about me like I'm not here!"

A thoughtful look in place, Inari nodded to the red kitsune. "Perhaps Shippo… it seems to me though, that the concept is grasped but the execution remains out of reach."

"Oi! What the hell did I just say?"

Shippo only shrugged and glanced back to where they had felt the remnants of the portal his mother had apparently gone into. He would yell her ears off for attempting to mimic his creation of a portal once they found her. Then he would proceed to praise her for succeeding, even if that success only made him suspicious. Naraku had _wanted_ her to succeed, and had _wanted _her to land wherever that portal had managed to take her.

"So…back to where we came from?" he dared not speak the name of the world itself, for one never knew who could be listening in.

"I would say so…" blue eyes glanced to the half-demon who still growled at them, and a twitch of the lips was all the expression he allowed to form. It would seem Inuyasha had either given up on his goal of getting them to not ignore him or he was too angry for words. After a moment the god of foxes decided it was more likely the latter. He dismissed that thought for later on, and opened the connection that would lead them back to the human realm. He was the last one to enter, and did so quickly. It would do them no good for their travels between realms to be discovered. At the very least, they could not be discovered so soon.

All in due time, things would fall into place and secrets would be exposed. It was simply a fact of existence. Secrets could not remain as such for long in their world; the Shikon retaining its existence was the best-kept secret in all the worlds, but it too would be blown out of the water eventually. Nevertheless he would not say such things, for it would only serve to irritate and aggravate them, some more than others.

"I got her!" all heads snapped to the red fox who had spoken, and a single pair of amber eyes narrowed at the younger demon. "Three miles this way but…something else is there too."

"Then I believe I shall need to strengthen our illusions." The words had barely passed his lips, and Inari had already done it. "Now, I suggest we get moving."

"Feh! First good suggestion you've made all damn day."

"Do you wish me to open an entrance back to our previous location beneath your feet?" the look he received said it all. "Then I suggest you silence yourself. Now is not the time for that foolhardy attitude of yours."

With a strengthened illusion cast, and an irritated half demon silenced, the party of four began their trek to the location of the miko. Her energy had carefully been hidden, which caused him to worry, but her scent remained.

That alone was enough to settle frayed nerves. She was alive. Her status remained unknown for the time being, but she _lived._

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**A/N: I told you I'd make it up to you for the lack of romance! This chapter goes out to all of you who've been –ahem- pestering me for more interaction between Kagome and Kurama. I promised it would happen, or at least that it would start to become more obvious.**

**Serenity Draco, once more,**** this chapter is for you!**

**I'll see you all next chapter!**


	13. Reclamation

**A/N: So…you guys are just too damn awesome. I'm not going to bore you with a long-winded author's note, so just enjoy the story my friends! All my readers out there, you can thank my loyal reviewers for this update!**

**This chapter has been reviewed by IcyFire-MikoDemon.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Say it with me people. FANfiction… **_**FAN**_**fiction. Notice the emphasis?**

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"But I feel fine!" with her arms crossed firmly and her bottom lip jutted out in a pout, Kagome offered the best puppy dog eyes she could muster. "Please Yukina-chan? I can't just sit here and do nothing! I've imposed on you guys enough as it is."

"Nonsense, you'll only end up reopening your wounds." Once more Kagome found that despite how soft and timid the female demon seemed, there was a veiled air of authority about her.

"I'm a fast healer!" the miko sputtered when she only received a smile in reply before Yukina simply made to leave with the promise of returning with tea. A few moments passed, and the light went on upstairs. It was her chance. She leapt up to her feet, and darted for the door. Lips pursed in concentration, Kagome edged herself along the walls until she saw daylight. "Damn…déjà vu."

All the same she sprinted for the door, though in doing so she remained mindful of her wounds. They weren't the worst she had ever suffered but they weren't pretty either. The gateway to freedom was just within her reach; her fingertips brushed the wooden panel of the door, if just barely.

"Hello Kagome."

And she fell. She fell flat on her face and almost shook. The familiarity of those words, the familiarity of the situation they were presented in, it shook her to her core. It was painful to keep a tight leash on her ki, but she managed. Slowly she picked her head up from the floor and slowly her gaze moved from the feet in front of her face, up to the face of the man that stood in front of her. Nervously she grinned up at him and waved with the fingers of her right hand. "Hi Kurama…"

He chuckled at her expense and shook his head at her. Midway of an attempt to peel herself from the floor he took her hand and tugged her to her feet. "Trying to be a ninja are we?"

"Oi! I got this far didn't I?"

As he stared at her pouting face, Kurama concurred. She had indeed made it rather far before anyone had noticed she'd even left the room.

_=Sneaky little vixen isn't she?=_

_/I do wonder how she managed such a feat…/_

With a sigh, Kurama cut the conversation off there. He turned back to where the woman had just been and blinked. She was gone. Green eyes flashed gold as a brief predatory instinct came to surface. If it was a chase she wanted, he could provide.

The way he silently followed her wasn't what unnerved her. The predatory glint she had seen in his eyes was what spurred her to move when she had. The way he had seemed worlds away from her had given her the chance to make a break for it. And she did. She just was not sure of where to go.

She could feel Yusuke nearby after a moment and so she darted in that direction. He came into sight and Kagome grinned victoriously. "Yusuke!"

"Eh? Kag?" he blinked owlishly at her, and had to twist around to look at her when she scrambled to hide behind him.

"Hide me!"

"Um…sure?" though he had not one clue what was going on at that point, the way she clung to the back of his shirt and looked up at him with big pleading eyes, he could not tell her 'no'. "Exactly what am I hiding you from?"

"Me."

Kagome squealed and latched her arms around him; the action effectively turned his already flushed skin a darker shade of red. "W-what's goin' on? Why are ya hidin' from Kurama?"

"I don't want to stay in bed all day! I've got a few scratches, I'm not dying." She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest with a pout. She had seen much worse in the feudal era, but she wasn't about to tell _them _that. "Please? I'll go nuts just sitting around!"

Yusuke sighed and grimaced as he looked back at her. "Yeah but…should ya really be up and runnin' around Kag?"

She had given up being useless almost two years prior, and she was not about to revert to such a station. In a desperate attempt to make her point she waved her arms around and stared up at the two of them with big round eyes. "See? I'm fine!"

It was almost ironic, Kurama supposed. Many women of their day and age tended to cry and whine over the simplest of things and yet this women, Higurashi Kagome, shrugged off a puncture wound to the arm, a hit on the back of the head, and a slash in the stomach. Certainly, such numbness of a wound was only ever seen in someone that had been hardened by battle and it made him curious. Nonetheless, the pleading expression that the female in question wore would have made him cringe had he been anyone else; for that matter Youko whined in the back of their shared mind at the sight of the look on her face. He had to wonder briefly, if a poker face truly was the best way to psych out one's opponent. The woman before him was doing a fair good job at it by merely pouting. "One hour…and stay with Yusuke."

The squeal of happiness that parted her lips didn't entirely surprise him; he enjoyed the little sounds she would make from time to time, though Youko remained firm in his desire to hear much more. The way she tackled him in a hug however, startled him enough that his eyes shot wide open. A sharp command from Youko brought him back to reality and his lips twisted into a faint smirk.

"Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" if he had thought he'd been surprised before, he'd been wrong. When she stood on her tip-toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek before she bolted faster than he had ever seen a human run in many years. A slight glare from Yusuke only received a smirk in response.

_The race had suddenly gotten much closer._

_

* * *

_

"We've been searching up and down this fuckin' area for hours now…where the hell could that wench- wait a minute…"

Shippo paused with his mouth half open, ready to tell the hanyou off for the insulting term used towards his mother. He had found her energy, but that did not mean he could pinpoint her precise location right away. It was because of that fact, that if Inuyasha had found something, he would hold off on their continued argument. "What do you-?"

The blaring tune of his cell phone cut him off and Shippo growled as he flipped it open. "What?"

"Wow, Inuyasha getting on your nerves?"

At the sound of the monk's voice, Shippo wasn't sure whether to feel relieved –perhaps they'd found something- or annoyed. "You didn't call to see if I was getting along with the baka, Miroku. If this isn't important…"

"We know where Kagome is."

Relieved it was. The red fox froze in place, as did the rest of their small search party. He gave a growl of irritation when Inuyasha tried to swipe his phone and bared his teeth at the older male. "Mind telling me before Inuyasha has an aneurysm?"

"Kurama-san called early this morning. She's at a shrine across town."

"What! Why the hell didn't the bozu and that damn wolf go get her!"

"Just a sec Miroku…" that said, the red fox spun around and clamped his hand over the half demon's mouth. With wild eyes he stared the other man down, threatening him to say another word. "Would you shut up? You want to get us busted, screaming about wolves like that? Damn it, I thought even you were smarter than _that_."

With his piece said, Shippo allowed Inuyasha to shove his hand away and hung up on the monk with a brief 'ja ne'.

"Keh. Lets just go get the wench…"

As he watched the two of them walk off, still in the midst of an argument, Inari turned a bemused glance to his old friend. "Are you positively certain that you two are related?"

"Unfortunately."

"I wonder…why is the kit so angry with him in regards to Kagome-chan?" the dark expression of the taiyoukai made him lift his brow, and his curiosity only increased ten-fold. "That bad huh?"

There was a long silence, before the western lord spoke. "My brother was a fool."

* * *

As she giggled like a madwoman, Kagome rolled onto her stomach and looked up at Yusuke from her spot on the ground. The way he looked down towards her almost made her forget just what her situation in that instant was. She'd almost forgotten about the jewel, about Naraku, and about the fact that she had less than half her soul.

"Damn Kag… you're that happy about an hour outside?"

The way he raised his eyebrow and smirked at her would have reminded her of Inuyasha if she had not already distinguished what made them so very different. The first time she had compared the two, she had felt a profound hate for herself. She had done the same thing as Inuyasha had to her in regards to Kikyo.

_As similar as they were, they were not the same._

Nonetheless, she planted a smile on her face that didn't lack much in sincerity. She leapt to her feet and laced her fingers together behind her back. "Of course I'm happy! I can't stand sitting around doing nothing. I already spent the past five years of my life feeling useless. I just…need to be doing something you know?"

The distant look on her face had not gone missed by him, nor did the comment that Yusuke was certain to be a slip of the tongue. He didn't comment on it though, and instead chose to grin at the happy female. It was good to see her happy after she had been so on edge. Even though it had only been a day and a half that she'd been at Genkai's, he knew the reason for her unease even if she might not have realized it. Although a person might not be consciously aware of the suspicion towards them he had learned that everyone had some innate sense of such things. He wasn't as smart as Kurama and he knew it, but he wasn't as dense as the others liked to think he was either. As he thought on it, he realized one thing in specific.

Kagome had never made him feel less than intelligent.

Not even once in jest had she done so. Sure, she had teased his cooking skills at one point, but he'd owed her that one. He had not let the less than graceful death of her tea set go for a good amount of time. Even if she had teased him in return, she had never been so much as playfully insulting about it.

He couldn't say the same for even his comrades.

Even though he was certain that they were not malicious about it –most of the time– it was true enough that a joke could be just as scathing as a flat out insult. As uncouth as Kurama had called him –and to his own girlfriend at that– he was careful enough about the way he joked with people. Even when it came to Kuwabara he was not as offensive as he was made out to be. There was an understanding between Kuwabara and himself, that they could trade faux insults and always know that nothing was meant by it.

Though he still wanted to know what her earlier comment about being useless had meant, he would not push her for the time being. Once she'd recovered however, the topic was fair game. It was her raised eyebrow and pursed lips that made him realize he'd zoned out. So with a grin he snapped out of it and threw his arm over her shoulder. "Alright! Then what do ya say to some lunch, and then we'll find something to do huh?"

He was bound to get in trouble with both Yukina and Kurama, but he didn't particularly care much. Neither one of them was the type to yell very much, if at all. Besides, Yusuke knew the fox liked Kagome as well and as such he was certain the other man would feel the same way about making her happy. In the end it still wouldn't matter; he didn't care if they got angry with him.

The way she smiled at him made it all worth it.

* * *

It didn't take much to make her happy, and Yusuke had to admit it delighted him. It took far less to make Kagome happy than it ever had just to keep Keiko off his back. The simple grilled cheese she'd asked him to have for lunch had made him laugh. She was by no means a simple person, and that wasn't to say she wasn't worth the effort either. It was just the fact that she didn't simply expect it or even ask for it –in fact she'd seemed hesitant to ask him for the sandwich– that made it so pleasurable to do something for her.

He simply enjoyed her.

As she grinned at him and slowly lifted her lunch to her lips in order take a bite of her food, Kagome froze. The scene that would follow what she had sensed was not likely to blow over well.

"Kagome! Wench, where the hell are ya!"

Yusuke frowned and looked at her questioningly. "Did that guy just call you 'wench'?"

The nervous laughter she gave him said she didn't want a fight, and for the time being she knew Yusuke would comply.

"Yeah…" with a sigh she stood and left her sandwich forgotten on her plate. She strode outside to stop the scene she knew would occur. "Inuyasha…"

* * *

"_I already spent the past five years of my life feeling useless."_

The words rang through his ears with a piercing sort of agony akin to nails on a chalkboard. He knew that he was the cause of that admission. She had met him five years ago, almost to the day. Nonetheless he gritted his teeth and bolted up the stairs as fast as a human would have been able to; he knew he was being watched, and Kagome would never forgive him for blowing her cover so soon. Such a comment wasn't completely true, as he knew she had already forgiven him for much worse over the years.

She had given him much that he didn't deserve, but at the top of the list was her love. Right below that, was her forgiveness. The first thing on the list though, was her. Above all other things he had never deserved _her._

Still, he gnashed his teeth together and ran across the courtyard. He could hear her, as she laughed and enjoyed herself as if he had not spent the past day and a half searching and worrying for her. He supposed he didn't have the right to complain about her lack of communicating where she was, not that she'd done anything wrong in the first place. It simply hurt.

_He'd pushed her so hard she'd fallen right into another man's arms._

"Kagome! Wench, where the hell are ya!"

"Inuyasha…"

He spun around and narrowed his eyes at her, though the expression was directed more at the male that stood behind her than the miko herself. He had no right to be mad at her, ever again. That didn't, however, mean that he had to like her new boyfriend.

He wanted to hate the boy for making her smile like that.

It used to be him that made her smile in such a manner. Even more than that, he'd counted the times he'd made her cry. He had watched her return home so many times during her travels, and he had wanted to gut himself each and every time. Every time she returned home he had done something else to make her cry. If the boy made her happy, he would concede her to him. He had missed his chance with her the first time he had ever left her for Kikyo. He had naught the right to a chance since the first time he'd compared her to Kikyo.

Sesshomaru had been right to call him a fool. The best thing in his life had stormed right into it and quite loudly at that; he had simply turned a blind eye to it.

Nonetheless, he kept up his outer frontage and crossed his arms over his chest with a gruff snort. "Feh. Ya look fine to me wench. Where the hell have ya been? Not calling and leavin' everyone worried about ya…"

Once again the smile she wore was that of insincerity. The same smile she had worn when he returned from a trip to see Kikyo. In the end it always came down to that.

One more important fact remained. In the end, Kagome had been found _safe. _In the end that was all that mattered. It wasn't the safety of the Shikon that had been his concern, even before Inari had told them that he had it. It had been Kagome. It had always been Kagome. He had simply been too blind to see that.

"Yeah Inuyasha… I'm fine. Aren't I always?"

The question that she had left unspoken rang true in his ears.

"_I was fine every time you left me wasn't I?"_

Almost every time he had left her had resulted in near tragedy. It had resulted in at the least, an injury each time he had abandoned her. She had never been fine anytime he ever left her. As much as he had justified it as penance to Kikyo, he had abandoned Kagome each and every time. And no matter what he'd ever said or if he'd ever accepted it, it had always been for a woman that was already dead. In the end, he had been such a fool. In the end, she was no longer his to claim. But he'd be damned if he let that boy hurt her.

Nobody was allowed to harm Kagome. Not ever.

* * *

**A/N: I wrote this chapter especially for all you guys! I kept you waiting way too long for these past few updates so I felt bad.**

**This chapter goes out to **_**two**_** people! Goth Lolita and Cosmic-Lover this chapter goes out to you! I love you guys- you always motivate me with your reviews.**

**New feature for each chapter: Rant of the day.**

**Today's rant: Frequent (annoying) mistakes of betrayal fics.**

**Why is it that in so many betrayal fics that people have Kagome go from loving Inuyasha unconditionally, to plotting his death within the next hour? Seriously people? There needs to be a grieving process…after recovering from any shock (depending on what kind of betrayal you choose). I understand being blinded by rage and all…but no. Changing extremes within the same hour? That's way too quickly; you need a transition. Transitions are your friends. After a grieving process then slowly stick those thoughts into Kagome's head if you must, but not within the same damn hour. **

**In relation to **_**that **_**common mistake…the severity of Inuyasha's crime. Kissing Kikyo equals death from Kagome? No. Kissing Kikyo is old news people. Nothing unexpected there- Kagome already knows it's going on. It warrants a good cry (and depending on the situation, maybe a few sit commands), but she's more understanding than to want to kill the man for kissing Kikyo. **

**Case in point… "I want to you live Inuyasha, I want you to be happy" or even "Please, let me stay by your side"**

**Those quotes might not be exact but it's the same damn meaning. Now anywhere in there do you see the condition of "but you must swear you will love me and only me and forsake Kikyo or face my wrath."? No you don't, because that would not make him **_**happy **_**and Kagome is too damn selfless for her own good. **

**Another case in point… the battle at Mt. Hakurei- Kagome could have chosen not to tell Inuyasha that Kikyo needed to be moved, she could have chosen to let Kikyo lie there and rot. **

_**Another**_** case- 'Kikyo and Kagome: Alone in the cave' she could have let Kikyo die then and there and been rid of her but she didn't. She carried Kikyo on her back until they escaped the 'priestess sealer'.**

_**Yet another**_** case- 'Kagome's Instinctive Choice' was another prime chance that she could have left Kikyo to perish. Instead she gave Kikyo **_**even more**_** of her soul so that the other woman could live, knowing full well that the same old routine with her and Inuyasha would only be allowed to continue.**

**She **_**knows **_**that he loves Kikyo. She accepted that a long time ago (that doesn't mean she gave up on loving him of course) and she's not going to suddenly decide that he deserves to die just because of something that's been routine for the better part of a few years. She can get sick of it and give up on him… but not want to kill him (except in the unlikely case that she completely and utterly snaps; then all bets are off and I really don't want to meet a Kagome gone cuckoo). **

**How does the old saying go? 'The punishment must fit the crime' I believe.**

**So that's the end of this particularly long rant. Not that I expect anyone to actually sit down and read them each chapter, but they will be there from now on. Hope you enjoyed this and the actual chapter. Ja ne minna!**


	14. Revelation

**A/N: Surprise! A new chapter! What took me so long right? Well… that's a long story that involves much training with a stubborn puppy dog and taking care of my sick mother. I know you loyal readers understand and that's why I love you all. And **_**that **_**is why this chapter has been written and posted so quickly after the last one.**

**This chapter has been reviewed by IcyFire-MikoDemon.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Seriously… if I owned these two series…they would have officially been made into one story long ago.**

**

* * *

**

It was a long time that she stared at him, and each moment that passed by seemed like an hour rather than a second. After a moment she smiled again and nodded her head to Yusuke.

"Its ok… we go way back." she turned back to the hanyou and offered a half smile. "His bark is worse than his bite…"

Though, that wasn't to say that his bite wasn't bad; his bark was simply worse, and quite literally. The look on Inuyasha's face made the inside joke quite worth it.

"Oi! Kagome you- you…"

"Very articulate Inuyasha…" the insincere smile on her face almost faltered for a second and it took much willpower for her to draw out of their old routine. Said routine had died the first day she had conceded in the struggle for his heart. So she turned and smiled at Yusuke, as well as Kurama –who had appeared seemingly out of thin air- gratefully. "Thanks for helping me… but I really should head home. I probably have a bunch of people going crazy over my vanishing act."

_Such a vanishing act it had been indeed._

An understanding grin was thrown her way, and Kagome almost had to choke back a sob. She only prayed for such an understanding nature when it came time for her to tell him of her involvement with demons.

"You go on Kag. I'll call ya later to see how you're doing."

When everyone was suddenly there Kagome turned to the older woman that owned the shrine and offered somewhat of a deep bow. "Thank you for the hospitality. I appreciate it Genkai-sama."

A simple nod of the head was all she got in response, but she understood the notion well enough.

"Yukina-chan…" Kagome grinned and flashed a wink at the female demon. "You make a great nurse."

"Thank you Kagome-chan."

She turned back to Kurama and craned her head to the side a bit, her smile still in place. "And thank _you_ for letting me have time outside."

"Not at all Kagome." The kind of smile only a fox could offer was thrown in her direction and for a brief moment her heart skipped a beat.

"Bye, you guys."

Vaguely, she felt as if she had said goodbye forever.

* * *

The trip home was rather uninteresting, even with the banter between Inuyasha and Shippo as well as the commentary from Inari and –the little bit- from Sesshomaru.

"So Kaa-san…you're really ok aren't you?"

Kagome fell back on the sofa with a groan. "Yeah… I'm a bit sore but nothing worse than usual."

"Yes well now that things have been taken care of for the time being… I believe I have places to be, things to do. Adieu my friends…good luck miko-chan." And it was with a flamboyant bow that Inari vanished.

Sango blinked at the spot that Inari had once stood before she shook her head. She had expected no less from the god of foxes.

"Ostentatious one isn't he?"

Dead silence followed that comment before the slayer managed to form a response. "He's the kami of _foxes _Miroku… were you expecting subtly?"

The conversation continued on like that for the rest of the night, and true to his word Yusuke called around eight o'clock. Kagome talked with him for a while before the both of them realized that they had been on the phone for two and a half hours. So it was on that note that they shared a laugh and bid one another a good night.

It was with a giddy sigh that Kagome snuggled into the covers of her bed. Even if it was not her original room she was far too happy in that moment to care about what had caused the need for the move. All the same, she giggled and curled up with her face pressed into her pillows.

"Hey, Kagome… you asleep yet?"

And her giddiness came to a screeching halt. It wasn't that she was unhappy to hear his voice, but she simply did not wish to go over things with him just yet. Despite such desires she sat up and turned to look at him. "Yes, Inuyasha?"

"Um… I don't know. Didn't really plan this out…" he rubbed the back of his head with a sigh and turned his gaze on her. "You know that… I really did love you Kagome. You do know, right?"

With a shake of the head Kagome held up her hand to stop him. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose with another sigh. "Inuyasha…I said goodbye to that life a long time ago. Please… don't stir up old issues like this."

_I said goodbye to __**you**__ a long time ago._

"I…I'm sorry Kagome." A wry chuckle escaped the back of his throat as Inuyasha shook his head remorsefully. "Ya know… I really was an idiot…"

"No arguments here… so are you going to let me go to sleep or is this going to be an all nighter? Because if it is I'm going to need plenty of caffeine for this topic."

"No…no. I'll let you sleep. Goodnight, Kagome."

The pain that was reflected in his gaze at that moment almost tore her apart, but she swallowed the sensations. After he was gone she sighed and lowered her gaze to her lap. It wasn't as if she had wanted to hurt him, but as selfless as she was she refused to continue and hurt herself to make him happy. It had gone on for far too long and she could no longer afford to allow it to do so. That wasn't to say she didn't love him, for she would always love him, but it was far too different to ever be the same again. "Goodnight, Inuyasha."

* * *

Yusuke hung up the phone with a sigh and sunk back into his recliner. Once more he was in the comfort of his own home and grinned sloppily. While he had not been all that fond of having to let Kagome leave with that 'Inuyasha', he'd been glad enough to let her go where the poor girl wouldn't be kept under such supervision. The way Hiei had mistrusted her was to be expected of the hybrid; however, even with the instinct to be wary of newcomers that an experienced person like Genkai had, it had been oddly over the top as far as he was concerned.

"I venture she is feeling well?"

The fox's voice jarred Yusuke out of his reverie and he turned to stare blankly at the other man. "What? Oh… yeah she's alright."

"You seem distracted Yusuke."

The man in question snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "I wouldn't call it distracted."

Kurama raised an eyebrow at him and looked up from where he'd been busy cooking. "Then what pray tell, do you call it?"

It took a moment before he could answer his roommate, and Yusuke did so with a deadpanned stare that only added humor to the statement. "I call it being deep in thought and being interrupted by a pretentious fox."

Both eyebrows vanished into Kurama's hairline at such a comment. "Pretentious? My Yusuke, you have certainly expanded your vocabulary."

"So has your arrogance." Yusuke snorted again, but wasn't about to admit that he had learned the word from Kagome. He softened at the thought; it was just another thing that she did to better him.

"Another remarkable word, Yusuke. I must admit I am impressed."

Higurashi Kagome was without a doubt the better half to Urameshi Yusuke. And it was with that same thought that he realized something. "I love her, Kurama."

* * *

Two and a half weeks later they had their next date. Yusuke had called her around noon asked if she had anything to do and when she had said 'no', he'd told her that he would take her out to lunch. An hour later found them at Wacdonalds.

He was going to tell her during their date. The revelation he'd had after their phone conversation two weeks prior had been buzzing frantically through his head since then. He was going to take her to the park after they finished eating, and he would tell her.

Yusuke had found himself counting all of the things that he loved about her for the past few weeks; it had started since a bit before she had been at Genkai's but such thoughts had doubled after his demon blood had risen to speak in her defense.

Her smile, her voice, and the sound of her laughter all made him feel absolutely giddy. The way she moved her hands around as she told a story was utterly cute and just another thing that he loved about her. Though, there were more than all those superficial things.

She never made him feel stupid in all the time they'd been together, even if it had only been a few short months. Not once had she ever made him feel bad about simply being himself.

He was brought out of such thoughts when she spoke once more, and he turned his full attention to her.

"And then bam! It blew up in his face." with much editing of the story, Kagome reveled in the laughter that came from the tale of how Miroku destroyed her toaster.

"Seriously? Man I would've paid good money to see that one Kag…" after a moment he blinked and turned back to look at her. "How did he pull it off again? I don't think even Kuwabara has done something like _that._"

Kagome blinked then shrugged. It was an easy enough question to answer. "Miroku was raised by monks and the temple he grew up on didn't have technology. We met up while we were backpacking around Japan and became friends. After he came to our shrine he kind of just stuck to us like glue… not that he hadn't already."

Once more the skill of being able to tell a truthful lie had proven itself to be rather useful.

"So… you basically brought in a technologically inept monk, and left him alone with a kitchen full of the stuff?"

With a nervous laugh Kagome rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"Well… I figured he'd ask if he needed to know about something." Yusuke snickered at her, but rather than feel indignant she only laughed along with him. Once she regained a regular breathing pattern she brought her burger to her lips and swallowed with a happy sigh. "It's been way too long since I've had a burger and fries."

"How long's it been?"

Absently Kagome counted off the years on her fingers and nodded decisively. "Not counting our first date? Almost four, maybe five years."

Yusuke choked and turned to stare owlishly at his girlfriend. "Five _years_?"

Kagome grinned slightly and popped another fry into her mouth.

"Dear god woman, how did you go on?" he clasped his hand over his heart in mock agony and grinned when she laughed.

With her mouth open to say something, Kagome was cut off by the sound of her phone's ringtone.

"One second. Moushi moushi?" She could feel Yusuke's gaze as he watched her; she nodded absently despite the fact that the person on the other end of the line could not see her. He jumped when she leapt from her seat and knocked over her chair in the process. Whether she had scared him or not she didn't care in that instant. "He did! When! Yeah, I'll be right there!"

Kagome snapped her phone shut with an audible click and spun around to stare at her date with wide eyes. "Can you take me to the hospital?"

"Alright…is something wrong?" The concern that he showed was endearing but she had no time for it. Instead she just shook her head slowly, though her widened eyes never left him.

"No… I…my little brother just woke up out of his coma."

* * *

Every speed limit in their route was broken by a long shot. Frankly, Kagome did not give a damn. They had been lucky enough not to be stopped even once but the miko did not linger on such thoughts. It had taken a lot of patience to ride the elevator, but a comforting hand from Yusuke calmed her long enough that she did not break the doors down and simply take the stairs.

"Souta! Souta, I'm here!" she skidded to a stop in front of her brother's hospital bed and the abrupt stop caused her to land firmly on her rear. She heard Yusuke sigh behind her before he hefted her up by her armpits and placed her back on her feet. "Souta… are you ok? Do you need anything?"

The boy stared at her blankly before he offered a weak grin. "Thanks for the floor show ane. Maybe I could…use some water."

"Yusuke, could you go fill up this pitcher? Please?" when her date nodded and left to do so she flew to her brother's side. Tears streamed down her face as Kagome pulled a chair up as close to his bedside as was physically possible. She clasped the boy's smaller hand between both of her own and blinked the salty liquid from her eyes. Quietly, she whispered to him. "Otooto…"

She could tell that it took every ounce of energy in him to smile at her again. His voice as he spoke was just as weak. "Another youkai ane?"

Startled, Kagome sat up ramrod straight and stared at her brother. "How… how did you know?"

He frowned at her and offered a weak shrug of his shoulders. "I…really don't know. He just…feels different?"

Mutely, Kagome could only nod at the boy in response. There was no way to put in words the sensation of a demon's presence. It was a raw instinct that simply could not be articulated. Nonetheless, she shook her head and smiled wryly at her brother. "We'll figure it out…eventually."

"Yeah… so are you going to answer my question ane?"

Defeated, Kagome sighed and leaned her arms on top of the bedrail. "You know me Souta. I could never really…be happy with an ordinary human. Youkai just…I'm not sure. I just feel more comfortable around them."

* * *

"_Another youkai ane?"_

The pitcher that he had been holding feel to the floor with a clatter, but the sound went unnoticed even as it echoed throughout the hallway. The staff members that turned to stare at him had been completely tuned out. The voices of the people that asked if he was all right were distant and near silent to his ears.

_Another youkai ane…_

_Another youkai…_

_Another…_

The words echoed through his mind and the comprehension was sudden and painful. She knew. She had known that he was youkai and had never said a damn word. All other words spoken were lost to him as he turned tail and ran. His legs pumped furiously beneath him as he bolted from the hallway and made his way to the rooftop.

An odd sense of anger and betrayal provided a kind of adrenaline he had never before felt. The sense of a rush in the face of a battle had never been so intense and it was a completely and utterly different sensation. Even with everything he had ever been through, he could not say he had ever felt such betrayal.

Far too much suddenly made sense in that instant.

The strange wounds, the fighting ability, and the careful manner in which she chose her words all pointed to the same conclusion. A strangled gasp escaped his lips and his eyes took on a red hue as they widened further.

"The miko…"

The energy that they had been searching for, that Koenma had ordered them to hunt for had all been her. She had been in Makai and had decimated that demon's home. The ash that had been the remains of that man's servants flitted through his mind. The idea that she might have been planning to do the same to him made his chest tighten in agony.

_That she was the same being was painfully bittersweet._

The chain linked security fence that surrounded the roof rattled as he fell against it. Heavy pants escaped his lips as he stared blankly at the ground so far below. "She fuckin' knew…"

* * *

"So it begins." With his lips twisted into a smirk the spider wove another section to his web. A wry chuckle passed his lips as he tilted his head back to gaze at the ceiling of his new palace. "You can fly now little miko…but for how long?"

'_Come into my parlor' said the spider to the fly._

It had taken far too long, but he was ready to crush the lot of them like the insects they were. The miko would be made to suffer the most; he would make sure of it. She had been the cause of his loss in the feudal era and for that she would be punished.

_Just like the spider he was, the insects would fall into his trap to be devoured._

"Now Kagome-chan…the fun can begin." He waved a dismissive hand to the man that had stood there to await his orders, as the spider was inclined to watch his prey struggle and squirm. It was his favorite pastime.

Soon she would know just whom it was that she belonged to.

He would never allow another to touch what was his again. He had taken Inuyasha from her and he would take the detective from her as well. The two were the same after all, and Inuyasha had been easy enough to deceive several times in the past. This boy would be no different.

Kikyo had deserved to suffer and her reincarnation would continue to serve that sentence.

Of course he knew that Kagome was in no way Kikyo; even if they did share a soul it was only partial. They were polar opposites and he had found that it made for far more entertainment to afflict Kagome than it was to do so to Kikyo.

There was no real enjoyment in tormenting a woman that gave no real show of emotion.

"Soon my miko. It will be very soon indeed."

* * *

**A/N: So… yeah. How many of you want to kill me? A lot of you I imagine and I know one person for certain will want to hunt me down for this. You know who you are.**

**Anyway…wow. I stayed up until 3am to write this for you guys and I have to get up at 8am. I know there are enough of you out there that love me for it to be worth it. Ah you're all worth it anyway!**

Serenity Draco, I kept you waiting for so long with the last update (I kept you all waiting but she nags me on MSN you guys) so this chapter goes out to you!

**Translations:**

**Ane – is the word for older sister that is used towards one's own sister.**

**The more commonly used onee-san is the word for older sister that one uses towards someone **_**else's**_** older sister. **

**Otooto- the word for younger brother that is used towards one's own brother.**

**The word for some one else's younger brother is otooto-san**

**Don't you guys just love having an author who's taken three semesters in Japanese?**

**Today's rant: Crossover/romance issues**

**Why is it that if Kagome is paired with a demon like Sesshomaru, Kurama (this includes Youko), and Hiei so many people feel the need to turn her into a demon (and when she **_**is**_** turned into a demon, must she be the same as her significant other)? The romance between a human miko and a demon requires a bit more effort put into it… but there's so much more to be explored there. When you have to put real effort into something, doesn't that make it worth so much more in the end?**

**So this rant isn't as long as my last, but I'm half asleep as I finish this author's note so if I made a coherent argument at all, be happy for that. My fellow authors out there can understand that ne?**

**Ja ne minna!**


	15. Ruination

**A/N: So… school just started up again. Yeah… it sucks right? But that's kind of good news for you guys! When I'm in school I usually get slapped in the face by my muse more often. Don't ask why- she's just cruel like that. Anyway… I'm going to be nice and give you an update before I get too far buried in schoolwork.**

**When I have the free time to write, nothing comes to mind. When I should be busy writing papers and studying…my head is full of ideas for stories.**

**This chapter has been reviewed by IcyFire-MikoDemon.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Maybe I'll get lucky and have the series given to me for my birthday in a few weeks… but I highly doubt it. In the meantime enjoy the **_**Fan**_**fiction.**

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* * *

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"He seems really similar to Inuyasha ane…" Souta craned his head to the side to look wholly at his sister. "What kind of demon is he?"

"I'm… not sure. But he's not like Inuyasha…" she paused for a moment and a timid smile twisted her lips. "I mean…sure they're really similar in their mannerisms, but they're so different too. I don't know how to explain it."

Souta stared at her for a long moment before he grinned widely. "You love him don't you?"

Startled by the comment, Kagome jolted upright to stare wide-eyed at her little brother. The boy had always been a wise kind of child, and despite his natural childishness he had always been mature beyond his years. He had always understood her more than anyone in her family ever had. He had supported her the most and in a way that nobody else had ever measured up to.

When she had to take care of the quest for the Shikon in the feudal era, it was Souta that had made sure to keep up to date notes for her schooling. It was thanks to that kind of support that she had managed to graduate.

"Yeah…I guess I do." Her chest throbbed at the revelation, with a pang that struck her to her very core. It wasn't a particularly painful sensation, though tears did fill her eyes. She had not loved someone in such a manner since she had given up on Inuyasha nor had she thought she ever would again. Hurriedly, she stood up with tears that continued to fall from her eyes as she smiled at her brother. "I… I'll be back. I…I need to find him."

Though she wanted to find him she didn't particularly plan on telling him right away. Firstly, they needed to discuss the issue of demons and her own involvement. Before even that, she needed to finish Naraku. Until the spider's reign had been put to an end, she would not risk Yusuke's safety by revealing just how much he meant to her. It would be far too easy for Naraku to exploit such emotion; the man had eyes and ears everywhere.

* * *

When Kagome snapped out of her reverie she found him on the roof. The anger that she could sense in his aura confused her and she furrowed her brows thoughtfully. "Yusuke?"

The angry youki that surrounded him leapt to even greater heights and she unconsciously took a step back as it lashed out at her. She took another step back when he turned his gaze on her; red rimmed the edges of his eyes as he stared her down.

"Kagome."

He made a visible effort to calm down, she could tell even from where she stood, but it didn't seem to do him much good. Though, the way he had said her name made her frown. He was angry with _her._

Despite that knowledge –as well as the knowledge that an angry youkai was a dangerous youkai- she walked towards him. She had never been one to turn away from another simply because of danger, even before she had received any training. So she simply bit her bottom lip and strode over to him, even as his energy lashed out at her. It hurt slightly, as the youki clashed angrily against her but she swallowed it, as she was quite used to the sensation. Instead of turning and running away, she slowly lifted a hand to cup the side of his face. "What's wrong?"

"Damn it Kagome, don't touch me!"

She flinched for the first time as he shoved her away from him, and would have stumbled had she not known such a reaction was possible. Despite knowing, it still hurt. So she turned watery eyes to look at him and deflated slightly. "Why?"

"Why? You're asking _me_ why? Well, considering how much you already know, you should know damn well 'why'!"

Her eyes went wide and she took a few steps back from him. Desperately she opened and shut her mouth, unable at first to form any kind of speech. "What….what are you talking about?"

He reeled around on her with a growl so fierce and angry that it almost made her heart stop. "Don't you play fuckin' dumb with me! How long have you known? Have you been planning to get close to all of us and finish us off this whole time? Is that it Kagome?"

Tears rolled down her face as she opened and shut her mouth as the ability to speak once more failed her. "I… no. Never."

"You're a fuckin' miko. God damn it Kagome, I defended you. I said they should lay off of you… you weren't strange. You sure had me fooled didn't you?"

She covered her mouth as a strangled sob passed her lips and shook her head slowly. "It… was never like that. I… I don't go around killing youkai. Only… only in self-defense."

"Stop lying to me damn it!" he growled low and turned back to look at her. He paused for a moment when he looked at her, but narrowed his eyes and continued on nonetheless. "I trusted you…"

"W-well… it's not like you told me the truth about yourself either!" she had given up on pleading with him and stared him down with a glare of her own. "Before you go accusing me take a look at yourself!"

How the day had deteriorated so badly was beyond her, but the ache in her chest that came as a result almost suffocated her. A silence hung over the two of them for a while before he spoke once more.

"I fuckin' loved you, Kagome." He crossed his arms over his chest as the redness of his eyes receded and he calmed. That wasn't to say he was no longer angry, but his temper had cooled, if only minutely.

"Yusuke….I…I lo-" he didn't give her the chance to finish.

"Don't say it Kagome. I don't want to hear anymore lies."

She couldn't get another word out before he vanished from her sight. Vaguely she felt a shot of pain as her knees hit the ground and she stared numbly at the spot on which he had stood. Tears dribbled down her face as she hung her head in defeat. She sat there for a long moment, and quietly sobbed. "But…it's not a lie."

* * *

He had continued to watch her after he'd left her sight and Yusuke almost felt bad for the briefest of moments. When he reminded himself that it was all an act he shoved the guilt away and flipped open his communicator.

"Yeah, Botan, get me Koenma."

It almost hurt to turn her in, but once more he reminded himself that she had lied to him. She had seemed so genuine when she had claimed to never kill unless it had been in defense, but she had fooled him before. She had made him love her.

"Yes, Yusuke what is it?"

He pondered for a few seconds whether it was the right thing to do, but shook his head after a moment and spoke nonetheless. "I found the miko."

* * *

"How is she?" Sango looked up from her place on the sofa, where she had been discussing strategy with Sesshomaru, as Shippo reentered the room.

"Still locked in her room. She refuses to talk to me or even open the damn door." He sighed and threaded his fingers through his hair. About three hours prior Kagome had run onto the shrine grounds hysterical and bolted into her room before anyone could question what had happened. During a brief pause in her crying spell, Shippo had managed to coax some information out of her through the door. What he had heard through her sobs made him see red and want to tear the culprit's heart out. For her sake though, he would not act on such desires.

He knew she still loved the man.

"Damn it all, I ain't taking this crap anymore!" before Shippo could say a word to stop the man, Inuyasha had already stormed up the stairs and forced the door open with a loud crack.

The expected 'osuwari' never came. It was in that instant that they all realized just how heartbroken the miko truly was. She had only held off on the command when she was truly sad.

They exchanged looks with one another, each person with varying degrees of concern or anger. Concern, because they feared that miko could not handle being broken in such a manner again and anger for the treatment she had been given. She had not retold the story in much detail, if any at all, but it had been made clear enough what had happened.

That boy had all but shattered her.

Inuyasha stared at her with a softness that he was loath to show. For her though, it was acceptable. And so he calmly strode over to the miko, sat at her side, and draped an arm over her shoulder. She flinched and he frowned at the reaction. "It'll be ok Kagome...want me to punch the brat for ya?"

She glanced at him and slowly shook her head 'no', but otherwise offered no response. To that, he sighed and flattened his ears to his head. So they simply sat there together in silence as he attempted to comfort the broken miko.

"I loved him, Inuyasha…I still do."

It stung to hear such words spoken from her lips, but it brought an odd sense of relief as well. At the very least, he could take comfort in the fact that he had not completely ruined her ability to love another, though he knew that he had caused considerable damage.

Nonetheless, to be reminded of what he had lost in his foolishness still stung.

* * *

Three days passed before Kagome emerged from her room and when she finally did, she remained so distant that her housemates were afraid to so much as speak to her. She decided absently that she preferred it that way; she had had enough of their pity during the fiasco with Inuyasha. She didn't want any more of it. So she simply headed to the kitchen, poured herself a cup of tea, and stared down at it as she sat at the kitchen table. She stayed that way for a few minutes before she actually took a sip of the beverage.

The air was suddenly very still.

Kagome heaved a sigh and stood numbly. Almost immediately after she had noticed how stagnant it had gotten a crash that rattled the house broke the eerie calm. The sound was followed by several other smaller crashes and a string of varied curses. With another sigh Kagome embraced her sense of numbness and strode to the battlefield that had once been her courtyard.

As she surveyed the scene, Kagome absently licked her chapped lips. The sight of the way they all fought in such a manner caused a dull throb to echo through her chest. It was more of a screaming match than an actual fisticuff, but it was agonizing to watch nonetheless.

It was when Inuyasha sent Yusuke to the ground that the miko snapped out of her stupor. Her eyes shot open wide and she completely straightened up. Slowly she shook her head and held out a hand to them. The gesture went unnoticed as did her presence, but she didn't allow such to go on for long.

"Stop it!"

Silence fell over them as every available head swiveled to look in her direction. She ignored it and shook her head again.

"Kagome, they-"

"You think I don't know, Shippo?" disappointed, Kagome turned to stare at Yusuke. He had said nothing so far, but had not needed to. She knew. Blankly, she spoke the words that she knew would eventually have come to pass her lips. "Do whatever you want to me… but leave them alone."

The way she looked, as she stood there alone, had halted Yusuke in the growl he had been about to throw at the man called Inuyasha. He had not imagined that she would act in such a manner. The way she spoke –blank and toneless- almost made him hate himself and he questioned how genuine she really might have been; just as quickly though, he reminded himself of the way she had lied to him. The idea didn't hold as much of an impact as it had in the beginning, and thinking of her in such a manner only served to produce a painful sense of guilt in the pit of his gut. It only heightened when she simply stood there and allowed him to cuff her; it almost hurt him to do it.

He had never been fond of guilt and he liked it even less in that instant.

Nonetheless he had gone there with a job to do, and once it had been completed he would look forward to being able to move on with his life.

"It's over Kagome."

* * *

As she stood before the demigod, Kagome could not help but feel a twinge of bitterness and anger at the charges he listed against her. All the same, she stood there and listened to him, and simply allowed the god child to continue to scold her. She would never have thought that _anyone_ could go on a lecture about housing youkai for a good ten minutes but he somehow managed.

It was when he brought up the Shikon –without actually speaking the jewel's name- and her travels through time, that she had decidedly had enough. Through narrowed eyes she lifted her gaze to face him and defend herself for the first time.

"Alright, that's it. You want to punish me for my travels? You want to call it a crime that I was dragged through the time stream _against_ my will? Fine. You do that. But keep in mind, that if I hadn't given up my chance at a normal life to return to that era this one would have ceased to exist and you know damn well that it's true."

If he had been as all-knowing as he seemed to like to think that he was, he would have known that Naraku would have found a means beside the Shikon to accomplish his goals. He might have known that she had been chosen as an eternal protector of the jewel for a reason. Meanwhile, the ones that had brought her in stood by and listened silently, and in turn she more or less ignored the lot of them. It no longer mattered that the others heard such a revelation, but she kept the exposed information to a minimum all the same.

When the smaller entity opened his mouth to rebut her claim he remained unable to do so. Instead he was thrown backwards out of his seat and onto the floor as an explosion of raw energy produced the male form of a kitsune.

The miko blinked slowly at the two but did not appear at all surprised. "Inari?"

"Inari?"

The detective and his team retained enough common sense not to attack the man, despite the aggressive entrance.

"I left you, for what? One day…and a child such as this has managed to capture you?" though the words spoke volumes of his annoyance there was no malice to the tone in which they had been vocalized.

"I let them, Inari-sama…"

He stared at her for a long moment, though it did not take long to sense the agony that had settled into her very being. He had felt it before he had even reached her side.

"Girl, how do you know Inari-sama?"

Said fox god spun to glare pointedly at the boy –and he was a boy in his standards- whilst he tugged the miko to his side. "That has been quite enough out of you, Koenma. The miko is under my protection and I certainly will not allow harm to come to her by the hands of a brat like yourself."

The demigod opened his mouth to protest, but a single snarl shut him up quickly enough. The miko glanced up at the kami, but before she could question him shouts of terror and sounds of a one-sided battle came from the door closed behind them.

"Ah, I do believe that is your transportation home miko-chan." He turned to face the smaller god and the boy gulped under his stare. "You, child, are quite lucky that Sesshomaru is here to retrieve the miko and nothing more."

"Se-Sesshomaru!"

"You truly are a coward, aren't you?" thinly veiled disgust took refuge on Inari's face as he gazed at the demigod in front of him. An expression of gentle compassion took its place as he looked down on the ever-silent miko. "Are you alright Kagome?"

She paused for a moment before she closed her eyes and spoke. "I'm not injured."

"I did not ask if you were injured miko-chan."

Again, she paused. "No. But I'll get over it. And next time…I'll be smart enough to know that a woman who is born a miko is destined to be alone."

The taiyoukai appeared in that instant and the demigod cowered even further. He turned to the miko and she bowed her head slightly to greet him. She took his clawed hand when he offered it, kept her head bowed, and strode out past her captors without another glance. As easily as they had taken her there, she walked right out.

And there wasn't a damn thing any one of them could do about it.

Inari inwardly relished in mournful expression that the detective bore. The way his fists clenched so tightly that they shook told volumes of both his frustration and residual anger. The way his eyes were clenched shut so that it crinkled his brow spoke of his determination not to cry. The silent tears that still escaped such efforts spoke of the beginnings of his regrets.

It served the boy right.

He didn't pretend to be righteous, but he had never been so cruel to one so undeserving. On that note he turned back to stare at those who remained in the room, as silent as they had been. "Come near the miko with such intentions even once more, and your lives are forfeit…whether you are the minions of Reikai or not."

Just as the detective had done to the miko, Inari did not offer the boy the chance to speak in his own defense.

He turned to the flabbergasted child that continued to cower behind his desk. "As for _you_…if you ever do anything to cause harm to the miko again, emotional or otherwise, I will bring down a wrath upon you so extreme that it will make these 'Spirit Detectives' of yours seem reminiscent of a group of kittens. Are we understood?"

* * *

The commotion that broke out upon her return might have seemed endearing to the miko, had she not been so utterly numb. Even a year prior, such excitement over the fact that she was alive and well –if just physically- would have made her giddy. Yet as she stood there in front of them all she could offer was a small insincere smile before she retreated to her room.

Their disappointed murmurs were not lost on her, but she could not find it in herself to care as much as she once would have.

She sunk into her mattress, tugged her legs to her chest, and set her head atop her knees. Quietly, she repeated the mantra that she had relied on in her weaker moments since her fifteenth birthday. "I'll be ok, I'll be ok, I'll be ok…"

Eventually the words blurred into one another, until they were no longer coherently spoken. As trembles continued to wrack her body, Kagome huddled into her pillows and silently cried. It would be her last, she vowed, as she decided that she was done showing weakness in the form of emotion. If she had been damned to be alone because she had been born a miko then she would not seek companionship any longer. She had learned her lesson.

It would only cause further grief.

That wasn't to say she would take on the hatred of youkai that was supposed to be typical of a miko, for even as she lie there with tears rolling down her face the love she held for the man who had left her to the mercy of another did not diminish by much, if at all. She had stayed with Inuyasha through more than one abandonment, but she had learned from such mistakes and was determined not to repeat them.

After a moment she chuckled bitterly and rolled over to stare at the ceiling with a gaze that held just as much bitterness. "It seems that the title of the 'lonely priestess' will live on…"

* * *

"_I'll be smart enough to know that a woman who is born a miko is destined to be alone."_

As much as the words had bothered him, Yusuke knew that he would not go running to her nor would she to him. He didn't want to love her anymore, and for the time that he had been utterly ruled by the sensations of betrayal and anger, he hadn't. He had done something unforgivable, of that he was fairly certain, but he was not certain that he had been wrong in doing so. She had lied to him.

Just as he had lied to her.

He knew that she had been right in saying that he had not been truthful either, but she had _known_ of his heritage. She should have been the one to speak such truths. On that note it was with a shake of the head that he convinced himself it had all been for the best.

The feeling of dread that had settled into the pit of his stomach did little for his confidence in such a decision. Nonetheless, he stood firm.

* * *

When both he and his counterpart alike had finally had enough of Yusuke's self pity, Kurama had left the room. It was rather likely that the detective had forgotten that he was even there. It didn't matter all that much to him in that instant, and so he had left to the seclusion of his own room. It was in such seclusion that he pondered the woman that had been revealed as the same miko that they had been after.

When Yusuke had come to them with the order to capture the woman, he had figured it out. Nonetheless, he and Youko had come to an agreement on how truly foolish the boy had been. There had been something magnificently different about her, and they had known it all along.

_=Did I not tell you? It was indeed a foolish mistake on his part that landed us in the lead of this race. =_

He had seen how shattered the miko had been, and while he had been minutely displeased to find out that she was the same being they had been ordered to capture his curiosity had won out. As much as Youko distrusted priestesses –from the tales of his prior life- and as much as they had become wary of her, neither one could see any malice within the woman called Kagome. She might have hidden a rather large secret from them, but not one of them had been in any rush to tell her the truth of their nature. At the very least, they could offer her that much understanding.

_/There is no race, Youko. Did __**you**__not hear the way she spoke?/_

_=Indeed. The fool has broken our female. It will be up to us to put the pieces back together.=_

_/I highly doubt that she will be willing to be in a relationship any time soon. Least of all with one who saw to her capture./_

_=That, Red, is on you. Yusuke however, has lost his right to claim her. He gave up on a woman that not only knew of youkai, but one who held the ability to defend herself from them. Not like that Keiko girl.=_

_/His claimed concerns were not unreasonable…though outrageous they were./_

There was more to her, than simply her status as a miko. The mere idea of a human woman transcending time had never been heard of, save for the exception of a few decades.

The years during the age of the Shikon no Tama.

And it was with a blink of the eyes that another piece of the puzzle had been filled. Koenma had spoken of a jewel briefly –which had piqued Youko's interest- while he had been busy scolding the woman.

_=Very good, Red…but there is much that we've yet to discover about our little miko.=_

_/I will concede that she is an enigma…/_

_=Nonetheless, I knew that she was meant for us.=_

_/And what, prey tell, has you so convinced of that?/_

_=She is protected by the god of foxes. Tell me, Red. What am I?=_

With a sigh Kurama shook his head, though the action was unnecessary.

_/Point taken. Now here is mine. A fox you may be, but you are not the only one in these worlds./_

The silence that followed his statement only served to unnerve the avatar, but he dare not look a gift horse in the mouth. It was rare to have peace within their shared mind, not that he would call such an eerie silence peace.

For the time being he would embrace it.

* * *

"Such a good pawn the boy makes don't you agree?" he questioned the man that stood before him, though he did not expect an answer. His son's pet was incapable of such a thought process; he had made certain of that. So when he got the expected silence from the human, he turned to his other servant and chuckled. "You, my friend, have been of much use. Return to them and await my order."

Though the man he'd spoken to clenched his fists at the word 'order', Naraku held no fear of the man holding the capability to break free. Nobody but the miko had ever broken free of his hold before and he would see to it that it remained that way.

He would have to thank the detective most of all, for the damage that he had caused the miko. Her spirit always had proved to be a nuisance and even the easy manipulation of Inuyasha's relationship with Kikyo had never been enough to break the damnable girl.

"It would seem my dear…that you truly loved the fool." He shook his head and gazed up at his ceiling with a satisfied sigh. "It's a pity…that he did not love you enough to so much as listen."

He closed his eyes and grinned. Truly, the boy had accomplished more than he had expected of him. He had shattered the miko in a way Inuyasha never had, by not even offering the chance to speak on her behalf.

"But that was to be expected…my lonely priestess."

* * *

**A/N: So… this chapter didn't really come out exactly the way that I would have liked. I don't know exactly what it is about it that I don't like but something just feels off. Maybe that's just me being picky, because my beta continues to tell me that its awesome as is. But anyway it's been written and posted and I'm hoping the quality of the next chapter will make up for this one.**

**The dedication for today goes to a trio: **

Goth_Lolita, your reviews always make my day. And Serenity Draco, for writing the longest review I've ever seen, never mind gotten. Fuchsin, thank you for the constructive criticism.

**Today's rant: Character bashing (using Kikyo as an example)**

**Seriously people if you're going to do it, do it legitimately. If you don't, you're really only cheating yourself as a writer. Don't get me wrong, I am not a fan of Kikyo in any manner whatsoever but I refuse to take her out of character just for the sake of bashing her when it can be done while keeping her in character. She has tried to kill Kagome more than once, she gave Naraku a large percentage of the jewel along with a few other things I'm not going to bother mentioning; use that to your advantage. I respect the creator of the series far too much to mangle her characters, even those that I don't like. **

**Really, the people that feel the need to make her into a snobby cheerleader need to save it for the AU fics. Kikyo may have quite an arrogant side to her but she's in no way the stereotype of a snobby cheerleader. Even in an AU fic, using that stereotype for Kikyo is pushing it; she seems more like the stuck-up rich girl stereotype than anything. And the pet names that people have her give Inuyasha? There is no way that Kikyo (in a non-AU fic) would go around calling Inuyasha anything even remotely similar to 'Inu-baby'. **

**The final note here, everyone, is that if you want to bash a character, that's fine. Just do it legitimately. If a character has made you hate them, that's good! That usually means the character was created with enough depth for you to actually feel such an emotion towards them; respect **_**that**_** at least.**

**Ja ne minna!**


	16. Determination

**A/N: Hey guys! Yeah I'm alive… buried under mounds of homework no doubt but I'm alive. Anyway… it's September 25 so… it's my birthday! So I decided that I should give **_**you**_** guys a gift. By the time I post it it'll probably be the 26****th**** because the server was down for an ungodly amount of time.**

**This chapter has not yet been reviewed by a beta.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Nope. Didn't get it for my birthday. I write this story for no profit other than the enjoyment of my loyal readers.**

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It had been three long agonizing weeks. Persistent training had become the sole method of distraction that the miko had taken to; though the others had fallen in line behind her. During their return to the human realm, Kagome had asked her former sensei to resume her training. He might have already admitted that there was little to nothing left for him to teach her, but his agreement had come easily enough. It wasn't beyond reason that he might have learned anything new in the gap between the ages.

It was always wise to keep one's skills sharpened. So it was with the little remaining willpower that Kagome held, she decided on such a course of action.

A chill lingered in the air, though it went unnoticed. The coolness of autumn air was of no concern to people such as them. The treks they had taken across Japan during the search for the Shikon no Tama had been far more bracing than a simple autumn breeze.

"That is all for today Kagome."

She nodded towards the taiyoukai and sheathed her blade. He had commented on her improvement in utilizing the weapon but that wasn't to say that he had told her she was any good. Nobody had really talked to her in quite awhile, but she didn't entirely mind. So it was with that mindset that Kagome stepped into the courtyard, laden with weapons and cocked her head to the side to address her housemates.

"I'm going to visit Souta and pick up groceries…"

She didn't give anyone the chance to respond, and only continued on her way even as she heard the desperate calls of her name. Not a moment later, Sango was at her side and Shippo was only a few feet behind. In that instant, she didn't much care but she was grateful enough when no one pressed her for conversation.

The visit with Souta turned out to be a short one since the doctors had just given him medicine that would make him sleepy, but it had been entertaining –even with as numb as Kagome had become- at the very least. It had been almost immediate that Shippo had noted something off about the boy, and soon after he had nearly nose to nose with him as he had inspected the human child.

"Tell me kid, how do I look to you?" he'd asked. Souta had only blinked at him for a moment before he responded sleepily.

"You're…a demon right? Ears…tails." He fell asleep soon after, to which Shippo went on a rant about the idiotic medications humans had come up with and proceeded to go on about how the plants in their garden would do just as well without such inane side effects. He continued to rant even as they walked from the hospital to the local grocery store.

Finally, Kagome had had enough.

"Alright, stop!" she clasped her hands over her ears, took a few deep breaths and looked back to her adopted son with saddened eyes. "I'm sorry but…its not like mama and grandpa can just yank Souta out of the hospital. They could claim religious reasoning but…with the wounds he went in with and the fact that they willingly had him admitted, way too many questions would be raised. Right now… isn't the extra sleep doing his body good anyway? He'll heal faster. He's not… he's not really like me you know."

Shippo stared at her for a long moment before he sighed and ran a hand through the fray of his hair. "He's got reiki Kagome… if its nurtured he could be great. That's why he could see through my illusion. Tell me.. have you ever tried to heal him with your ki?"

"Every time I visited him…why?"

A wry smirk touched his lips and in that instant Kagome was thoroughly reminded just what her adopted son was; he was a fox, through and through. "Your ki rubbed off on him let's say. It mingled with his own energy and…how to put it…it didn't really _stay _there, no it came back to you eventually… but it, fed him I suppose. You know… no matter what anyone tells you, all humans have an innate reserve of reiki. The only difference is whose is dormant and whose is active. Your energy just woke up what was already there."

With owlishly wide eyes, Kagome rubbed her head and processed what she had been told. Shippo had always been rather smart, even as a young kit, and so she did not doubt him in the least. Often, she had wondered why she was able to sense humans as she did demons, and she found her answer in what her dear kit had told her.

"That actually… makes a lot of sense." Sango's voice startled her, as Kagome had fallen so deeply in thought she'd almost forgotten her companions. "Now. What do you guys say to lunch? I'm buying."

"That's right… you've been giving private instruction lately haven't you?" Shippo nodded as he spoke and shot a wicked grin towards the slayer. "Teaching the arts of slaying to a bunch of unwitting humans looking to learn self defense are we?"

"I will neither deny nor confirm that statement."

"Which translates as 'why, yes Shippo, however are you so smart?'."

The slayer woman shot the kitsune somewhat of a dirty look, though no real malice was found in the expression. "Don't push it fox, or I may have to ply my trade on you."

A slight smile touched Kagome's lips as she watched them go back and forth and for a brief and shining moment she felt light. She hummed thoughtfully and turned to go get them a table for whenever they finished their squabble. It was only a few moments that she was alone, until the smell of food lured them inside as well. They continued a censored version of their debate at the table, but in the end lunch proved to be an enjoyable affair.

* * *

Little happened in between lunch and the supermarket, and all was quiet for a while, save for the banter of the slayer and the fox. So with her spirits uplifted, Kagome turned to her two companions and offered a small smile. They seemed surprised for a moment but knew not to say anything, and for that she was thankful. "Alright you guys. We need food for a bunch of bottomless pits. Let's split up and raid this place huh?"

A chorus of agreements followed and the miko sprinted down the aisle with her basket in hand. She piled any item she could get a hold on into her basket, happily distracted by her goal of shopping for the people that had become her family, her pack. So it was due to that distraction that when she reached for a box of rice, bumped the hand of another and felt youki brush against her skin, she leapt back about five feet; she dropped her basket –though miraculously nothing fell out- and almost reached for her wakizashi.

He waved his hands in a motion to placate her, to assure her that he was of no threat, but she didn't buy it. No words were exchanged in that instant, as they did not need such mundane things to get their point across.

_He meant no harm; she did not believe such an ideal._

"You know Kagome… I am not Yusuke."

She scoffed sardonically at him and made an obvious effort to resist rolling her eyes; she succeeded but just barely. "You know Kurama…I am not a fool."

Green eyes flashed gold at the mocking tone she provided him with, and an odd sense of pride filled him. That she was smart enough not to trust a demon right off the bat had Youko just about singing praises in their shared mind about 'their female'.

"And just why should I trust you anyway? It's not as if you tried to listen to me either." Though the words were angry ones, the only emotion he could sense within the woman was utter sadness. There was no bitterness there, and he knew from that alone that she understood them all far more than they would care to admit.

He didn't try to defend himself, as he knew that she was right, though only to an extent. All the same he would not try to justify himself to her, not in that instant; it was neither the time nor the place and she was not ready to listen.

_She had been wounded too badly to hear his voice. _

"Oi, Kagome… you alright?"

Simultaneously, Kagome and Kurama swiveled their heads to look at the one who had spoken. Slowly, the miko spoke again. "Yeah. I'm fine Shippo. Let's go."

And with that she headed to the checkout, where Sango waited.

Shippo continued to watch her leave for a moment longer, then turned his attention on his fellow kitsune. A wry smirk twisted his lips as he stared the older fox down, but he gave no acknowledgement to the fact that the other man was one of his elders. He was by no means a traditionalist.

"I know you didn't believe me the last time I told you, that I knew how you work… but I'm sure someone like yourself has already filled in the blanks concerning me." The flicker of gold that passed through the elder fox's eyes told Shippo that he was correct in such an assessment. "And don't think I give a rat's ass whether you're my elder or not. If I cared about tradition…I would never have willingly become the son of a miko."

Gold overlapped green further at such a statement. Such a reaction came at no surprise for such an unprecedented state of affairs. Nonetheless, Shippo was still a fox and still knew the mindset of his kin. Many were worse than wolves when it came down to something they believed to be theirs, and he had seen the looks the man before him had given the miko. He knew what such looks meant; he had seen them enough on the expression of other males, particularly Kouga and Inuyasha.

"Now here's one last thing for you to mull over. Get the fuck over yourself because I know damn well how you think in terms of Kagome. You think she's going to just roll over and agree to be your belonging." He paused to narrow his eyes, as a bit of red rimmed the edges. "I've had enough of seeing crap like that and she's too nice to actually do anything but brush it off. She's not a tool, she's not a possession, and in your case she's not a toy. So if I were you, I would seriously consider leaving my Kaa-san alone."

On that note, Shippo spun on his heel –and pointedly turned his back on the other fox in doing so– and strode off to catch up with the slayer and the miko. He paid no heed to the way his elder kin stared after him.

He was most certainly not a traditionalist.

* * *

"Kuso! I'm… I'm goin'…fuck I don't know what I'm going to do but it ain't goin' to be pretty!" the way the hanyou stormed around the courtyard in a wild rant might have been funny, had the cause not been the suffering of the miko.

All the same Shippo shot the man a dry smirk and shook his head. "Now, do you really believe your engagement in useless battle will make Kagome feel any better? You only ever upset her when you do that, or is it to make _you _feel better?"

"Shippo…"

The unspoken threat didn't go unnoticed by the fox –or any of their spectators for that matter– but it did not faze him either. "Yes, baka?"

Shouting ensued after that.

The noise pollution of the shrine had finally gotten to her, and Sango ground her teeth; the action didn't help her headache any though. "Would you shut _up!_"

The two of them spun around to stare at her, both equally baffled by the outburst as if there had been no reason for it.

"You two are not helping anything by talking about Kagome and her problems. I get that you want to protect her from every little thing, but by doing that you're only hurting her by your own hand." She shot Inuyasha a pointed look. "You did enough of that during the search for the jewel… and it was because of that protectiveness of yours that it took Kagome so long to learn to defend _herself_. You _made _her rely on you in order to give yourself a purpose, to ease your guilt over Kikyo's death more than to protect Kagome because you cared about her."

The man in question frowned, but did not rebut such a statement.

"And you Shippo. You of all people should know better! Supporting and sheltering are two very different things and you're only feeding into the insecurities Inuyasha has planted in Kagome's mind. Believe me… I know how it is to want to protect your family from those that would hurt them. Believe me I know. But Kagome will never heal if you continue to try and bandage the wounds without allowing them some fresh air. She needs to breathe. Remember that."

The sense of shame had never been so heavy in that instant, but Sango turned and walked away nonetheless. She jogged up the stairs and knocked on Kagome's door gently. "Kagome…may I come in?"

There was a long pause before the slayer was offered a response. "Sure Sango…come on in."

Even as she walked in the room, Sango felt as if she had trespassed. So it was a long moment later that she spoke once again. "How are you feeling Kagome? Will I have my sparring partner back soon?"

The small smile and the faintest of giggles that came as result of such a question made the slayer's heart leap with hope. Such sounds had become far to foreign for her liking.

"I guess…I should brush up on slayer techniques and not just Sesshomaru's teachings huh? But… can it wait until tomorrow morning?"

Sango offered an understanding smile as she nodded at her sister figure.

"Of course. It would not be much of a sparring session with a partner that is so unfocused. You really should do something about that by the way." Her smile vanished as she stared sadly at the miko. "Naraku won't wait for you."

A long pause followed that statement, and Sango worried that she might have gone too far. Such worry vanished when she spotted a long forgotten flicker in the blue eyes of the miko. Even weakly glowing embers gave proof that the fire still lived.

"You're right…I've been…kind of useless lately haven't I?" Kagome almost startled her when she looked at her with a determination Sango had not seen in far too long; it had last been seen long before the Shikon had even been made whole again. It had indeed been far too long of a time. It was not determination that she once had, but it was at least a step in the right direction.

It was a refreshing sight.

* * *

"I come to you for assistance. Surely you do not wish to see _this _miko suffer?" as Inari stared at the woman before him he knew what the answer was likely to be. Such a woman would not turn away from the miko. He'd often disliked the idea that a miko was owned by the gods, was a servant to them, but until he had learned of Higurashi Kagome he hadn't entirely cared either way. It had never been his concern; until Kagome had come along, every miko to stumble upon his kin had killed them. Higurashi Kagome had adopted a kit instead. "I am loath to admit it… but I cannot support them on my own. Not with Reikai conspiring against her."

"You know I could not turn her down in such a time of need. She has been…the miko I am most proud of. She has shown mercy to many, even those who would see her dead. I have been supporting her for a time now… doing so from a distance no longer seems an option."

He glanced at her from the corners of his eyes and nodded his silent understanding. "The Goshinboku."

"Indeed."

Curious, Inari sported a thoughtful frown. "Goshinboku has existed for thousands of years. Surely it was not simply for the support of this miko?"

"Certainly not. My assistance is not exclusive. For any who pray for mercy, may his cries not be in vain. Should one pray for help in any of the thirty-three regions, I shall be there for them."

"I can be a benevolent kami… but not nearly to the level of you dear Kwannon."

She smiled at him with a gentleness that almost made the fox god uncomfortable but he did not speak of such. One thought struck him then, and he frowned at the female once more.

"And what of this Naraku? What shall you do should he pray for mercy in your region?"

She sported a pained expression and closed her eyes for a moment. "That ought not be of concern. For such a man shall not pause in a pilgrimage of the vicinity. Such actions are not permitted by many of our kind; not on my lands."

"It still worries me. However cautious I will be of such, I shall not become fixated on such an idea." Cobalt eyes fell on the woman as he nodded. "I am counting on you to live up to your name, Lady Mercy."

And with that he vanished back to the ningenkai. He would not dare to leave the miko alone for any real length of time again.

* * *

"Hmm…this fox god may prove a larger nuisance than I had perceived." The quiet tap of his fingers against the smooth wooden door panel echoed throughout the room as eerily as the words spoken. "But it does not matter. The miko shall be returned to her master soon enough, don't you think so pet?"

A slight clench of the hands was all the response offered.

With a wave of the hand he dismissed the male and continued to see through the eyes of one of his many servants. They would never know just how close he was until he decided to tell them; of that he would make certain.

By then it would be too late.

"Soon, my miko. The legend of the Shikon No Tama shall come to a close."

The Shikon miko would be obsolete. She would need a new purpose and by the gods –or perhaps not so much– he would give her one.

* * *

**A/N: So… this chapter didn't really come out as long as I might have liked but I managed to reach a bit over my 3,000-word minimum. Everything that needed to happen in this chapter happened, and the next one should be much more fun.**

**Today's dedication: Well there is none really...this is a gift for all of you since school is about to get back into full swing. Sadly the reintroduction weeks have come to a close. So this is on behalf of all of you!**

**Oh yeah- if anyone can guess who Kwannon is (without looking in Wikipedia) I'll mention you in the next chapter's dedication!**

**Today's rant: Sesshomaru/Kagome pairings**

**Oh. My. Lord. Why? Why do people feel the need to make Sesshomaru into a teddy bear? This relates to my second rant a tiny bit. It can work –with **_**effort**_**– even with him actually IN character. Look at Rin! He's shown the ability to care for others, and Rin is **_**human**_** at that. It would –again- take effort to do, but its more than capable of being done legitimately. **

**I don't have much else to say on that point but if any of you guys think up something to say I'll be more than happy to respond.**

**Ja ne minna!**


	17. Comprehension

**A/N: So…do you guys love me? I got this update posted pretty quickly. What's it been- a few days? I was actually going to wait until my beta read this to post it, but I couldn't stand to wait! I just had to get this out to all of you. Anyway…this chapter was really fun. And so because of that, I'm not going to take up your time anymore. Go on and enjoy!**

**This chapter has not yet been reviewed by a beta.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: If I owned either of these masterpieces…do you think I would be paying only the minimum payment on all my bills? Interest sucks!**

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* * *

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True to her word, Kagome spent the next morning in sparring session with Sango. For awhile the two seemed evenly matched, but in the end Sango claimed the title of victor. There were no ill feelings on Kagome's part, as she knew well just how long the slayer had lived with the need to fight for her life; it was only reasonable that one who had been fighting their entire life, that had grown up in the life of a demon slayer, would prove to be of greater skill than someone that had been thrust into said lifestyle.

Granted, Kagome had been a quick study and could hold her own in a fight –she was by no means helpless any longer- but when it came down to handling a sword, Sango still had her beat. She wouldn't even attempt to compare herself to Sesshomaru, as there was no comparison in the first place. She pondered all those ideas as she lie on the ground with Sango's foot on top of her chest, the tip of her sword to her throat.

After a moment the two women grinned at each other and the slayer helped the miko to her feet. "Good match Kagome, but you should practice kata more."

Kagome offered a halfhearted smile but did not show her disappointment. Her heart had not been entirely in their spar, and as such she felt as though she had failed Sango somehow. She did not speak of such though, since she knew it would only serve to make her sister figure sad. She had promised the other woman to try. She had promised that she would not continue to remain selfishly engulfed in her own heartache while the rest of them needed her.

"Yeah…I've been out of practice for too long haven't I?" the miko took a breath and tilted her head to look over her shoulder at Sango, and the spectators that had arrived to watch them spar. "I'm going to head down to the shooting range for awhile, make sure I don't get rusty with that too."

She turned on her heel to go inside and retrieve her gun, and instead had to catch said weapon as her kit tossed it to her. She blinked at him but before she could ask him anything he shot her a smile and answered her unasked inquiry.

"Go for it kaa-san."

Tiredly, Kagome smiled at him and nodded her silent agreement. So she turned and sprinted down the steps of the shrine into the crowded streets of Kyoto.

* * *

Despite the sound of the city around her, Kagome existed silently. The sound of the outside world passed her by without even her notice. In the end it didn't matter, as she arrived to her destination quickly enough. Once she was set up, she drew her gun and relished in the feeling of the cold metal in her hands.

And so she fired the first round. She did so for quite a while, perhaps twenty minutes or so, when a sudden burst of youki hit her so hard that she stumbled and missed her target completely. She fell to her knees and held her chest as she knelt there on the floor and desperately gasped for air. She hardly noticed the crowd of people that had gathered around her to ask of her wellbeing. Instead, she leapt to her feet, startled a few of the concerned bystanders by doing so, and sprinted out of the building. The energy that had startled her, she knew too well and a shiver of fear ran down her spine when she recognized the energy of which it clashed against.

She doubled her speed, reloaded her gun as she ran, and paid no heed as she burst into a long abandoned part of downtown. The sight that greeted her was so eerily familiar that she might have broken down in tears had it not been for the rage that welled up within her.

There, right in front of her, the spirit detectives –led by Yusuke- all but fought for their lives. Her gaze flew to her ex when the detective hit the ground. They were strong –there was no doubt about that- but Naraku was someone that could be defeated with neither sheer power nor simple strategy on their own. A group of demons could not hope to defeat someone like Naraku. Purity was the only weakness of the spider. It was when a demon moved to tear out Yusuke's throat that she snapped.

The echo of gunfire had never sounded so loud than it had in that instant.

And just like that, the demon that threatened the detective's life was no more. It had become nothing more than dust on the wind. So it was with that, that the miko turned her gaze on the instigator of the attack. "Hakudoshi…"

The boy had spun around to look at her –as did all involved- and a smirk twisted his lips. "My, Kagome-chan.. I was expecting to see you here sooner or later."

"K-Kagome?"

Yusuke tried to sit up in order to stare at her, but failed miserably. Hakudoshi had done a number on him. She turned her gaze to the fallen detective for a moment, before her eyes darted back to the demon in front of her and she sighed wearily. "Just stay down. You'll injure yourself further and I don't need to be distracted by you while I fight him."

She cared little for the stunned –if not disbelieving- stares she was delivered.

"You really are rather silly aren't you Kagome-chan?" Hakudoshi spoke as he casually stroked the blade of his weapon. He craned his head back to look at her and smirked once more at the miko. "Protecting someone that would help to throw you behind spirit world bars? I knew you were foolishly forgiving…but this is stupid even of you."

Kagome scoffed and shook her head. "I never said I forgive him. But that doesn't mean I'm going to let him be killed. That's not how I work. As for being silly… well, your defeat will only be that much more humiliating then won't it?"

And with that she charged. Her purification lashed out at the demons the boy had brought with him, but did no more than offer a gentle caress to the ones that were forced to stand by and watch.

She ducked, she parried, she blocked with small barriers, and she fired in rapid succession. He tried to get inside her head and was rewarded with a mental blast of purification for his efforts. He managed to get a hit on her once, but she shook off the gaping wound that lined her stomach.

For a moment she reminded herself of Inuyasha. The hanyou had once fought with a hole in his gut. To further mimic the hanyou she climbed back to her feet with a smirk in place on her lips. "Heh… it seems I really did spend too much time with Inuyasha. Now. I'm done playing with you Hakudoshi…"

He wasn't quick enough to avoid the shot that followed such a declaration. He stumbled back and clutched his chest as the purification began to eat away at him. As he stared her down through narrowed eyes Kagome felt oddly unconcerned.

"I'll be back for you Kagome-chan." With his promise articulated, Hakudoshi retreated.

"Yeah, yeah…stupid brat." uninterested, Kagome strode over to the injured trio and scanned them briefly with her miko sight. The hybrid was in the best shape even as his arm hung at an awkward angel –she knew he would never let her touch him though- but Yusuke and Kurama needed healing. When she got close to him, Yusuke tensed and she responded with a slight narrowing of the eyes. "Stay still and shut up."

"But I didn't-"

"I said shut up, Urameshi." She noted the stunned expression he displayed at the formal use of his family name but couldn't find it in herself to care. She examined him for a moment and nodded decisively soon after. He hadn't been poisoned, but he'd received a decent number of shallow stab wounds; that might not have been a big deal, had Hakudoshi not grown the tendency to lace his weapons with his youki. The aggressive demonic energy had burned the detective's flesh raw; had she not seen worse she might have wondered how he survived. The little monster really had done a number on him.

With one firm push of healing energy into his flesh, only scars remained. She wavered at the swift drain on her energy, but regained herself quickly enough. Her attention turned to the avatar. She took in the sight of him and cursed herself; she should have healed him first. Nonetheless, she walked over to the man and winced when he groaned –even if it was barely audible- at the slightest touch. A growl from the hybrid made her take pause.

"Don't touch him, onna."

Livid, she glared at the demon, even as he made to unsheathe his katana. "Would you prefer that I allow him to die, baka?"

He growled at her again but released his sword and did not speak another word.

She nodded her head and turned her attention back to the issue at hand. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

A deeper glance into her patient had Kagome curse yet again. Miasma had spread through his veins since he'd attempted to continue to fight even after having been infected. She supposed Hakudoshi hadn't given him much choice though. She knew what she would have to do to help him, and had a battle and a half to restrain the flush that threatened her features.

Gentle purification swirled about her as she gathered the avatar into her arms and embraced him.

It took concentration and a bit of effort due to the severity, but she managed to succeed. Slowly, the miasma faded into nothingness as it drowned in the light that the miko poured into it. After a moment green eyes opened to stare into her own and Kagome released him.

He would be fine. He proved her right when he climbed to his feet a moment later and offered his hand to help her up as well. She only stared at the offered hand for a moment before she stood up on her own.

She had learned to stand on her own a long time ago.

"I must thank you Kagome…though I can hardly say we deserve your assistance." Kurama straightened himself out as he spoke, and watched the miko for a response; out of the corner of his eyes he took note of the obvious wince Yusuke sported upon his statement. "Might I ask who that was? You seemed rather familiar with one another."

When she froze at the statement subsequent to his question he frowned thoughtfully. There was definite history between them, though none of it was likely to be good history as far as he could tell.

"That little bastard is the spawn of a man that was once human. He traded his human soul to demons and became a hanyou." She frowned and turned a gaze on him that was so dull that he took pause. "I'm sure you've heard of him. He goes by the name of Naraku as a demon."

Suddenly, it all made sense. Youko sprang to life within their shared mind –more than he had prior- and his blood ran cold. He had been privy to many stories of the Shikon. Though Youko had stated firmly that he would never use such a vile thing, it was made clear that the jewel was a treasure to possess on its own. He had heard many tales about the struggle of a half demon and a mix-matched group of humans and demons alike. One of those humans was a miko, a woman rumored to be from the future of that era. The human bandit named Onigumo who traded his soul to youkai in order to gain the priestess Kikyo flashed through his mind and another connection was made. The demon, Gumo, whose home had been destroyed by a miko faded into the image of the human bandit.

Kurama was startled out of his musings when the miko snapped her fingers in front of his face and he offered her an apologetic smile. "Forgive me, Kagome. That name took me a bit by surprise."

"Yeah, I'm sure." Though she didn't believe that had been the case entirely, Kagome did not press him. Instead she shrugged and turned around to leave.

"M-matte, Kagome!"

She stilled and turned to the one that had called out to her. She offered him no more than a blank stare in response. The pain that came with even looking at him had not yet faded. "What is it, Urameshi?"

"I…I…thanks Kagome."

She stared at him for a moment longer before she spun on her heel and walked away. She was not about to tell him that he was welcome, or that it was ok; he wasn't welcome and it wasn't ok. She had done her duty. No more, no less.

For however long they could continue to tell themselves that it wasn't personal, remained unknown.

Yusuke stared after her for a long while, until she finally faded from his sight. His throat tightened more and more with each step she took away from them and when her scent faded with her he ground his teeth together and struck the ground. The same woman that had never made him feel stupid for as long as they had been together had made him feel like a fool without even doing anything.

And he supposed, that he really was a fool.

* * *

Kagome hadn't gotten halfway back to the shrine when several demons and one fox god surrounded her. She sighed and walked right through them, unable to care even as she pushed Inuyasha to the side in order to pass. "Please don't bother me about going out on my own. Right now, I really wouldn't care either way if you're mad at me."

She didn't care much for the surprised stares that she received –some more obvious than others- as it was the fourth time that day as it was. In all honesty, it was old news at that point.

"That's not it miko-chan."

Inari's voice was gentle, and the lack of his usual teasing attitude almost worried her. She paused and turned to face him. "What's going on?"

"There are some things in Makai and Reikai that need to be taken care of. Sango and Miroku will be staying with you." She opened her mouth to protest but paused when he held up his hand to silence her. "You need to stay here miko-chan. Now that your brother has awakened with active reiki he will be a target. You are best suited to sense if he is in any danger at this point."

After a long moment of silence, Kagome processed the words that the fox god had spoken and nodded her agreement. "Alright. I did ward Souta's room but…knowing Naraku it won't be enough. He…he had a human under his control. I haven't seen him in awhile."

Her hope that he still lived went unspoken, but was heard clear enough.

"Keh, I don't like this. The wench can't be on her own with that maniac runnin' around loose."

Shippo opened his mouth –to scold or insult Inuyasha, she supposed- but snapped it shut soon after.

"You know what… I'm not even going to bother." The fox crossed his arms over his chest and turned his nose up to the half demon. "You're too dense to understand a word out of my mouth anyway."

"Oi!"

As she watched the two, Kagome couldn't help the slightest of smiles that formed on her lips. She almost giggled when she saw Sesshomaru –who had been silent the entire time- close his eyes in frustration and shake his head minutely. Suddenly, the taiyoukai vanished, however they knew well enough not to panic. Sesshomaru was their alpha –excluding Inari- for a reason.

The wolf snorted and shook his head in mock disappointment. She knew though, that he had enjoyed the banter between Inuyasha and her kit; Kouga would never give up an opportunity to see Inuyasha be made a fool of. "You guys are idiots. I'm going to finish packin' my things. Later, Kagome."

Once more, as she watched Kouga disappear from sight, she smiled faintly as she recalled their days during the search for the Shikon. Nonetheless, the expression faded soon after as she remembered the seriousness of their situation.

"You guys need to spend less time arguing like that and more time getting ready for whatever the hell it is you're going to go do." That said, the two broke out of their dispute and strode off to ready themselves. As Kagome watched them leave she sighed and shook her head. "As much as Shippo says that Inuyasha hasn't changed… he hasn't changed much either. His soul reason for living still seems to be torturing the man."

Inari chuckled as he observed them all and shook his head when the miko turned to look at him.

"It's far more than that." He set a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly as he leaned down and pressed an affectionate kiss to her forehead. Though it was strictly platonic, Inari could not deny that he loved the girl. "Stay safe miko-chan. We'll be back soon."

With that he vanished, and left a baffled miko behind him.

* * *

One o'clock in the morning found Kagome wide-awake and unable to so much as doze off. That wasn't to say that she wasn't tired but as it was she simply could not sleep. She chalked it up to nerves and decided to simply curl up on the sofa with a mug of tea and a movie.

After a few minutes of gathering her tea, a bowl of popcorn, and her choice of movie, Kagome sat down and curled up in her favorite spot on the sofa. She watched the previews patiently, as she didn't have the patience to search for the remote, and just as the movie had been about to start, something hit her. She hit the ground hard and a loud crash rattled the house. Her pajamas ended up soaked in tea while pieces of popcorn had gotten stuck in both her hair and the inside of her nightwear. She rolled out of the way just as something hard and metal hit the floor where she had been mere moments before.

The sound of a metallic jingle rang through the air and her blood ran cold.

She had little time to think on it before she had to duck out of the way of another well-aimed strike. The tip of the weapon left a large tear in her pajama top and her eyes jutted open wide when her back hit the wall.

"N-no…no."

The weapon hit the floor with a clatter and lay there forgotten as hands darted out to wrap around her throat. The miko had to fight for even the slightest bit of air. When she wrapped her smaller hands around those of her attacker's and gained a bit of leeway, she was thrown to the ground for her efforts. Her efforts were further subdued as she was straddled; knees pressed her arms to her sides and hands were once more on her throat.

Her esophagus burned but not as badly as her starved lungs. Slowly, dots began to swim across her vision and her grip slackened as her strength began to leave her.

Suddenly the pressure was lifted, and Kagome broke out into a coughing fit as she struggled to regain some desperately needed air.

"Are you alright, Kagome?"

Sango's concerned gaze bore into her, and the miko slowly nodded. She had survived worse, and somehow the more recent attack had been far more painful. "Y-yeah, I'm ok… but…what about him?"

She eyed the man that laid unconscious on the floor a good five feet away from them warily.

"He's not dead. But if the wild chance that this was a conscious action is a genuine one, he will be. First…we need to know what happened to cause this."

Sadly, Kagome stared at the man but made no immediate move to go to him. Until he had been properly restrained she would remain on guard. All the same, she sighed and gazed at his cataleptic expression with saddened confusion.

"What happened to you, Miroku?"

* * *

He could not help but laugh, even as his favored offspring continued to curse and spew his hatred of the miko. He had received his entertainment for the day and continued to finger the single bead that rested in the palm of his hand. It was an old understated trick, but when it was applied correctly it worked better than the shards ever had.

"It would seem that getting back to basics was indeed in my best interests, do you not agree Hakudoshi?"

The boy nodded, but did not utter a word as he continued to stew in the corner of the room angrily. He frowned at the disrespect, but he would not punish the smaller demon; if the boy remained angry at the miko it would only strengthen his drive. In the long run, it would only help him should he let the child slide in terms of his impertinence.

"Take your pet and go play."

A grunt was given in response as the process of having to stand jarred the boy's purified body, but he paid no heed to it. So long as his favorite lived, he cared little for his discomfort.

"The legend of the Shikon is about to come to a close my dear miko. What will your purpose be after that?"

Though no answer was offered, the spider chuckled anyway. Soon, the insects would all have gotten trapped within his web and he would take pleasure in the feast that their souls would provide him. The miko especially, would prove to be a delicacy.

He would not devour her though. She was far more entertaining alive.

* * *

**A/N: So… I actually had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Does it show? Unlike the last few chapters I really feel confident in how this one came out. And just cause I love you guys, I've posted it way earlier than I thought I'd be able to.**

**Today's dedication: Congrats to ****Mitsuki Hyassi for being the only one to know who Kwannon was! Also, kudos to Chibes for making the guess of Miroku! **

**Today's rant: Character development**

**Really people, pick a reasonable speed. I can't count how many times I've read stories that have characters like Sesshomaru or Hiei develop so quickly that they jump right out of character. Sure, you can write someone out of character legitimately but you have to give a solid reason for it. Hence the term 'development'. Here's an example.**

**Good development: slow-slow-slow-(event)-steady-steady-steady-(event)=legitimate OOC**

**Bad development: slow-fast-(event)-sonic= illegitimate OOC**

**You can't jump from point 'A' to point 'C' and completely bypass point 'B'. A lot of shit has to happen to a character in order for rapid development to make sense for their personality. Even then it's a bit iffy. Slow and steady wins the race my friends.**

**At any rate, don't mind me if this particular rant doesn't make sense- although I'm sure my fellow authors will understand what I'm talking about anyway.**

**Ja ne minna!**


	18. Resolution

**A/N: Yeah…do you hate me for taking forever to update after that last cliffhanger? Well I'll make it up to ya with a nice long chapter this time- so are we even?**

**This chapter has not yet been reviewed by a beta.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: I own the most comfortable fleece-lined sweatshirt in the world but that's about it.

* * *

**

"Geeze, you two really trashed the place Kagome."

Sango's voice pierced through the haze of shock that had settled about her and Kagome shook her head. "Un… I guess we did."

"So… can you sense it?"

Tired and confused, Kagome blinked at the slayer. Her mind was far too muddled for her to think clearly in that instant, and so all she could manage was a not so intelligent, "Huh?"

"Can you tell why Miroku went nuts?"

The clarification didn't do much for Kagome's rattled senses but she understood. Nonetheless, she _didn't_ understand what had happened to the monk.

"No…I…I don't sense anything weird about him…" she paused and squinted at something she was sure that only she could see. "But… it looks like his reiki is…tethered to something."

A groan alerted the two women to the consciousness of their captive. He looked around confused, and it was all Kagome could do not to rush over and release her friend.

"What the- did Sango finally surrender to her kinky side?" such an inquiry only received a slap in the face from the slayer in question.

Kagome flushed at the question but smiled nonetheless; he was back to normal, or what was normal for him anyway. She swallowed the happy expression after a moment and looked sadly at the monk. "You…don't remember anything, do you?"

"Remember? Not really…oh! But you were great Sango."

The miko slapped her forehead as the slayer did the same –albeit a bit more harshly- to the monk, and shook her head disdainfully.

It was going to be a long morning.

It took a long time, a few hours actually, but it had finally been established that Miroku had been unaware of the assault. Such knowledge did not give Sango the confidence to untie the man and Kagome could only watch as he pleaded for his release.

When it all became too much for her, Kagome stood and went outside. Silently, she pressed the palm of her right hand to the bark of the Goshinboku and sighed. "Is this really what we've come to, Goshinboku?"

No words were spoken, but that wasn't to say an answer was not offered. Whether or not it was heard was another matter. For the time being, the energy of the god tree wrapped around her, and Kagome accepted the comfort.

* * *

The following week reoccurred the same way as the first morning. The monk made a crude joke, got slapped by the slayer, begged to be released and was given nothing for his efforts.

It was on the morning of the eighth day that it happened.

The sun had barely risen over the horizon when the miko felt it. Barely five seconds after he was there in front of her. Sango appeared with Miroku at her side soon after; out of the desperation of their predicament the slayer had been forced to release the monk, she supposed.

"Hakudoshi, didn't you learn your lesson last time?" Kagome sighed, and massaged her temples with a painstaking sense of calmness about her. "I suppose it does save us the time of hunting you down."

Hakudoshi stared at the miko and almost sputtered indignantly. He had expected her to be sad, heartbroken, and shaken from having to save the detectives. He had _not_ expected the aloof attitude that she greeted him with.

He had not expected her to act like Kikyo.

Only a week prior she had at least screamed at him. All the same he shrugged and offered her a grin. "Tou-san misses you Kagome-chan."

With that, he charged.

The struggle felt longer than it actually was, and Kagome noted that, oddly, she did not feel much concern at all over it. When she heard Sango's shriek she turned to look and got thrown back into the Goshinboku for it. She sighed disdainfully. Sesshomaru would scold her for becoming so distracted. "What did you do to Miroku, Hakudoshi?"

"You really don't know? Why, an improvised version of what I tried to do to you as Akago." The smirk on his face might have made her uneasy, had she cared. As it was, Kagome found herself painfully uninterested in what the little brat of a demon had to say. "Why… you would be surprised at the level of darkness within the monk, how bitter he is of you, Kagome-chan."

At that testament, she became interested, if only vaguely. "What are you talking about?"

"Look at you! You were nothing more than an untrained girl that had no knowledge of youkai and him, a monk who has trained and grown up around demons his entire life." he shrugged casually and glanced at the monk that stood by his side. After a moment he turned back to look at Sango and herself. "And yet, you were still more powerful than him. The air void was the only real source of power he ever had, really. Do you think that wouldn't make him bitter?"

Kagome opened her mouth to speak but clamped it firmly shut soon afterwards. She had nothing to say to something like that. As she stared at the demon child and the monk under his control, her blood ran cold.

"Kazana!"

She held on as tightly as she could, she truly did, but in the end her fingers slipped and Kagome plummeted into the void. The last thing she saw was the startled expression that belonged to Hakudoshi and the horrified one that was Sango's.

After that, all she knew was the void.

* * *

It wasn't pure darkness like she had expected, but that wasn't to say it was bright and cheery either. Kagome wasn't sure what it was like really, it just was; to be accurate she supposed it really _wasn't._ She wandered around a bit, though at first she had been surprised that she'd been able to walk so easily. The air gave off a bit of a weightless sensation all the same. She supposed it was like being in space without gravity. The lack of gravity didn't bother her though.

It was the thousands of demons that she could sense all around her that put her senses on high alert.

She continued to wander for a long while, though there was no certainty of just how long she had really been there. It could have been seconds or it could have been years and she would never have known. Finally, she stopped walking and took a breath of nonexistent air. It was odd, as she thought on it, how she was able to remain alive without the need for air. It was only a moment later that she came to an answer. The Shikon had been serious in its desire to have her as one of its guardians for eternity. Midoriko had been serious when she'd said that they had become immortals.

Such a realization did not help her gain a means of escape though.

The sense of another presence of reiki made her look up, and had she not known better, Kagome might have thought she was looking into a mirror. She took a breath of nonexistent air and tilted her head in acknowledgement. "Kikyo."

Her incarnation stared at her for a long moment before she nodded her head as well. "Kagome."

There was nothing that Kagome could find to say, but she had to know at least one thing. "Why are you here?"

"That is not your concern. Tell me Kagome, who are you?"

Confused, the younger miko stared at the undead woman for a long moment before she spoke once more. "I don't understand…what do you mean?"

Kikyo stood straighter than she had before and instinctively, Kagome stood at attention as well. "Are you me?"

The sense of déjà vu rang throughout her very being as Kagome stared at the woman of whom she shared a soul with. She opened and shut her mouth, but no words could come forth. She had no answer. Once, she would have said 'no', she would have said that she was Kagome and no one else. However, as she stood there before her incarnation, she could not say with conviction that she was indeed, only herself. "I don't know."

Such a statement was rewarded with a slap to the face. She looked up at the older miko, startled, as she held her hand to the abused flesh. She blinked when Kikyo narrowed her eyes at her, and gazed up at her incredulously.

"Do not become me, Kagome."

For a long moment, Kagome simply stared at the woman in front of her. Then, something clicked within her and she straightened herself out to stare directly at the elder miko. "I won't. I promise you, Kikyo… I won't."

Suddenly, the void melted away and she opened her eyes to find herself on the ground at the base of the Goshinboku.

* * *

The first thing Kagome noticed was that her head hurt quite a bit. The second thing she noticed was that she was in one of Kurama's arms as he warded Hakudoshi off with a whip that was covered in thorns. Wearily, she blinked her eyes and furrowed her brows at the sight. She wasn't given any more time to process what she was looking at in that instant, as Hakudoshi leapt at the both of them.

Her hand had moved before she realized it, and purification flew by Kurama's head to hit the boy that had attacked them. She did not miss the way the avatar tensed.

When the boy fell, Kagome almost relaxed, but what she sensed in the mere seconds that followed made her heart stop. The miasma was the first sign, as it had crept up from seemingly nowhere and begun to taint the air. Sango was unaffected as she made use of her mask, but the others were not so lucky. Only Kurama was spared, as he held the miko in his arms.

_Finally, the spider stood before them. _

Yusuke was the first to recover, though just barely. He picked his head up to look at the newcomer. "Gumo?"

"Gumo? Ah yes, that is the name I provided you with now isn't it?" the chuckle that passed his lips made Kagome's skin crawl, and she had to resist the urge to back away from the man. She didn't though; she refused to give him such satisfaction and instead steeled herself. She climbed to her feet and stood in front of the man that had been protecting her up until that point.

"Naraku…"

"Ah do not think I've forgotten about you my dear miko." He strode clear past anyone in his path, and cornered the miko against the Goshinboku. "I've no time to play today dear…but I will tell your son that you send your regards.."

Her eyes shot wide open, and Kagome lunged at him. "Shippo…what have you done to my kit?"

Her hand had caught onto his shirt –a modern style dress shirt- and she pulled him down to her level with all the strength she could muster. The energy that proved her status as a miko flowed about her in all the rage that she felt in that instant. "Where is my son?"

The smirk he gave her as a response did little to ease her nerves and Kagome felt her heart plummet past her feet into the ninth ring of hell.

"In due time Kagome-chan…I shall be back, and then I will reunite you with your son." He caressed the side of her face as he threaded his fingers through her hair, and was rewarded with a scalded hand for his efforts. "Such fire… I shall see you again soon, my Shikon Miko."

As quickly as he had appeared, the spider was gone. Hakudoshi followed soon after, with the monk in his grasp.

"What the hell was that?"

Kagome glanced over to her ex and straightened herself out. She cleared her throat and ran her fingers through her hair to both soothe her nerves and to straighten out the mussed up locks. "That…was Naraku."

Sango noted the frayed nerves of the miko, and she understood it well. Naraku had always had a desire to own Kagome and they all knew it. So she softened her expression and looked to the younger female. "What do you say we go inside to talk about this, and I'll make you some tea?"

"Un… alright Sango…"

Silently, the slayer and the miko led their guests inside. There was much to speak of and no time left to put it off. It had to be done and there was no way around it.

* * *

The telling of their interwoven stories was a difficult task, but they managed. It ended up taking an hour to tell the tale in its entirety, but it was done. Kagome had left out as many details as she could manage and stiffly climbed to her feet. "I think I'll brew a fresh pot of tea…"

The miko didn't wait for a response before she strode towards the kitchen at a brisk pace. Desperate to be alone with the memories, Kagome busied herself with the preparation of the promised beverage. Unable to keep her hands from shaking however, she set the teapot down with a clatter and attempted to steady her breathing. It had all been too much too fast and the whole telling of the story had made her head swim. Having been so focused on trying to calm her rattled nerves, Kagome jumped and spun around when a hand was laid on her shoulder.

Kurama stood there with a soft expression on his face. The gentle gaze of both him and the fox that resided within him caused her to take a step back. The transparent image of the fox's spirit did not leave her line of vision, and her back hit the counter. The green eyes that belonged to the avatar bled into gold and she took pause at the display.

"…what did he do to you, Kagome?"

She stared at him for a long moment, as she attempted to determine which one of them it was that she faced. After a moment she determined that it was the fox she spoke to directly. Slowly, she turned away from him and stared down at the tray of tea she'd tried to make. Her palms pressed flat against the smooth countertop and she took several deep breaths to ease her nerves. She wasn't entirely sure what urged her to answer him, but she supposed it didn't matter either way. It had happened, it was in the past and there was nothing to be done to change it. All the same, she told him. She turned around, stared him dead in the eyes, and steeled her resolve. "Let's put it this way. For all intents and purposes… I shouldn't be a miko anymore."

Straight away, Kurama knew what she had meant, and his eyebrows vanished beneath his hair. After a moment he regained his composure and offered the miko a soft expression. "Nobody knows…do they, Kagome?"

At first, he thought she was not going to answer him, but when she finally spoke he knew that the sound of her voice would haunt him and even Youko for the rest of his life.

"No. I haven't told anyone. Inuyasha already saw how little I was worth…I wasn't about to confirm his beliefs. He would have hated me if he knew…he would have only seen yet another person when he looked at me." She paused for a moment, and the ferocity of the gaze she turned on him made him take pause. "If you say a word, I will purify parts of you that are considered quite vital to a _functioning_ male anatomy."

Gold overlapped the green of his eyes, as the corners of his lips twitched upwards at her choice of words. "You have my word of honor, Kagome. I shall not tell a soul."

She scoffed at him as she gathered the tray into her hands and strode towards the door that led back to the living room. She glanced back at him once and the words she spoke burned into his very being.

"There is no honor among thieves."

* * *

**A/N: There were a few subtle play on words in this chapter when concerning Miroku…who can find them?**

**Today's Dedication: Serenity Draco- happy birthday my friend! Yeah I know I'm a few days late with this. You all should thank my wonderful fellow author here for great stories of her own and for nagging me enough that I wrote this chapter instead of doing my history paper. But don't tell my professor ok? Just go do yourselves a favor and check out her fanfics; she's a Kagome/Kurama nut too and a damn good writer.**

**Today's rant: Overusing names**

**I have but one thing to say on this topic. Pronouns are your friends! Sure, use a name once –maybe twice- to establish a point of view, or just whom it is that you're talking about but you do not need to write like this:**

'**Kagome laughed because Kagome found Inuyasha's stupidity funny.'**

**See how it weighs the entire sentence down? Now look at this one.**

'**Kagome laughed because she found the stupidity of the half demon funny.'**

**Doesn't that sound better? I reiterate… pronouns are your friends! However, don't overuse them either- it can be just as bad.**

**Ja ne minna!**


	19. Interaction

**A/N: So I seriously tried to get this out on thanksgiving for you guys, but shit happened. Long story short, I just got out of an abusive relationship and now that I'm starting to actually feel good about myself again, I feel pumped to write a new chapter for you guys. Seriously, you guys better love me! I'm doing this instead of studying for my finals.**

**This chapter has been reviewed by IcyFire-MikoDemon.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: I own very few things…the rights to these anime/manga are not on the list.

* * *

**

"_Let's put it this way. For all intents and purposes… I shouldn't be a miko anymore."_ The words echoed through his head as if a bomb had been set off right beside his ear. Yusuke had been standing right outside the door, wanting to see his former girlfriend and perhaps talk to her, when he heard _that_. As dense as everyone believed him to be, even he knew what those words meant. He knew, and it made the guilt that he already felt that much heavier.

He had been swayed by the words of the same man that had the dishonor to do such a thing.

If he thought that everything had made sense when he'd found out that she was a priestess, he had been sorely mistaken. Her skittishness, the way she was so jumpy on their first date, it all made sense. It made so much sense that he almost wanted to break down, cry, kill the man, and then beg her for forgiveness. For the time being however, he would not cry, he would not kill the man, but he _would_ beg her for her forgiveness.

An hour after the tales of their search for the Shikon found everyone scattered about the shrine. Frankly, Kagome was thankful for the breathing room that it provided. After having to relive the memories that came with the tale of the Shikon, she had not felt that sociable. Rather, she found herself on the roof of the well house in an attempt to maintain distance between herself and the others. A few branches of the god tree hung above the spot that she had claimed, and she accepted the soothing energy of the tree with open arms. She knew that they needed to regroup and contact Sesshomaru and the rest of their pack, and she knew that they needed to figure out a way to retrieve Miroku. In that instant though, she knew that she was not in the mindset to do so. As it was, the detectives needed some time to absorb the information that they had been given, some more than others.

"How did I escape the void, Goshinboku? It… doesn't make sense." The second that the words passed her lips, Kagome could have sworn that she heard the whispers of a woman's voice. Still, she remained where she was and warily glanced around. She wasn't so naïve as to believe that it had been her imagination. Perhaps a few years ago she might have, but she had learned too much during her time on the other side of the well.

"You asked for help, dear Kagome."

At that, the miko leapt up and gazed around, only to find that the world around her had melted away. She was in the middle of a pure white nothingness with no real sense of where she had been taken.

"Do not fear, dear miko…your body is safe at home. We are on the astral plane for the time being."

"Who are you? Inari are you messing with me? Its not funny!" Childishly, Kagome fisted her hands at her sides and stomped her foot. Such a juvenile action only resulted in melodic laughter from the voice.

"No child, I am not Inari, though I know him very well. I understand your concern with the fox."

Frustrated, Kagome huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. Her bottom lip trembled as the frustration combined with all the stress that had been slowly piling up on top of her shoulders. She wanted to cry out her frustration, but the lessons she had received from Sesshomaru ran vividly through her mind. "Who are you?"

"You may call me Kwannon dear child."

The name struck a cord through Kagome and she stumbled. It was one of the few things she remembered from the ramblings of her grandfather. "The…goddess of mercy?"

"The very same."

Kagome hit her knees. She bowed shakily and murmured a mixture of apologies and thanks to the goddess that had spared her.

"Oh no, my dear." The voice took on a physical form and Kagome was instantly wrapped up in the motherly embrace of the goddess of mercy. "My dear, sweet child…do not bow to me."

"You saved my life… you saved me from the void. Of course I should bow to you." Humbled, Kagome did not move an inch, even as the goddess began to rub her back and shush her.

"How many lives did you help to save during your travels in the feudal era? Did you ever once ask to be revered, child?"

As the goddess made her point, Kagome shifted and finally dared to look up at her. The woman before her had a pale, gentle face with coal black hair and deep green eyes. The expression on the goddess's face spurred a smile from the miko that she simply could not help. "Thank you…"

"You must live Kagome. I implore you, dear miko. Do not waste the chance to live where so many have died."

"I…I won't… I promise." Though hesitant and unsure, Kagome was sincere in the words she had spoken. She had already promised Kikyo the same thing.

"Good. It is time for you to wake."

So with that, Kagome opened her eyes and shrieked. A golden-eyed Kurama had been hovering only inches from her face and had casually stepped back when she had shouted. "Are you insane?"

"You were asleep on top of the well house, my skittish Koneko-chan. It's a little after midnight."

"It's that late- wait a minute, did you just call me a kitten?" she stared at him as if he had grown a second head, though she supposed such a sight might have been a little less surprising. A smirk danced across his lips and had it been a few years prior, Kagome would have gone beet red at such an expression.

"Hm…I wonder."

"Why you…what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

As he stared at her through his avatar's eyes, though his own shown through, Youko decided that the little miko was rather cute when angered. So he chuckled and merely shook his head at the girl, which effectively earned him an indignant sputter. He had to refrain from outright laughter when the girl gave up, crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at him like a child. "You ought to put that away koneko-chan, unless you plan to make use of it."

Almost instantaneously, she reclaimed the muscle in question.

"You…you're worse than Miroku…"

"Why, thank you Koneko-chan." He chuckled once more –even as Kurama pestered him to leave her be- and he watched the girl yawn. He arched an eyebrow as he looked down at the tired priestess and, in one swift movement, gathered her into his arms. She gave an indignant squeak of surprise at the action, but he paid it no mind even as she demanded to know what he was doing. Instead, he kept his mouth shut and leapt up through the bedroom window that he knew belonged to her. He set her on her feet and chuckled as she scurried away from him –or tried to- and toppled over her bed, backwards. She leapt to her feet with a flush and attempted to straighten herself out and regain a bit of dignity.

For a long moment the two of them only stared at one another, before Youko held her close to his person with a hand on the small of her back. That done, he stared down at her for another long moment and then touched his lips to her own. It was a barely there touch, but there was contact all the same. Before the miko could do a thing in response, he was gone.

As the kitsune vanished Kagome was left standing in the middle of her room with her eyes wide open. She stood there frozen, for however long she didn't know, until she was made aware, by a cold gust of wind, that her window was still open. Slowly, she walked over to the open window, peaked outside to see if he was still around –her head was too muddled to think of searching for his aura- and then shut and locked it. She pressed her forehead against the glass with a sigh and allowed the chill of the windowpane to cool her heated skin. "Stupid fox…"

With that, she climbed into bed with no expectations of sleep for the night.

* * *

Three in the morning found Yusuke alone on the sofa as he stared at nothing in particular. The words Kagome had spoken had rung through his mind since they had passed her lips. He had seen her with such a sad look only a few times beforehand, and he had sworn to aim his spirit gun at the cause of her agony.

Had death remained any consequence to him he might have done just that.

"_I'll be smart enough to know that a woman who is born a miko is destined to be alone."_

His anger had diminished, only to be replaced with such a profound sense of guilt that it made him feel physically ill.

"_Let's put it this way. For all intents and purposes… I shouldn't be a miko anymore."_

The sound of the table lamp as it shattered under the impact of his fist went unheard by him, but not his roommate. He fisted his hair into his hands and slowly shook his head.

Even as he watched Yusuke, Kurama felt little pity for the detective. The man had foolishly given way to anger upon learning of his girlfriend's secrets. The priestess had been right to point out that they had not been so forthcoming either, but it was true enough that she had still known. He couldn't fault her for it though. It would have been an incredibly foolish thing to do had she simply blurted out her status as a priestess, and that of the guardian of the Shikon No Tama no less. So for the time being, he left the detective to his tantrum.

* * *

It wasn't very long until Kagome saw them again. Kurama showed up the next morning –his eyes green once more- to be certain that Naraku had not returned. She stared at him for a long moment to search his eyes for any hint of gold, and allowed him inside when she could not find any. Interaction with the fox within him made her anxious and she wasn't entirely sure at that time whether it was a good or a bad nervousness.

It was early enough that Kagome had not actually planned on getting out of bed for a few hours. While she was hardly a lazy person she had been in much need of the rest. It did not help any that the encounter with the fox the night before had kept her awake for the remainder of the night; she had not slept for a single minute. So with a groan, she sunk into the cushions of her sofa, only vaguely aware of the kitsune avatar as he stared at her.

"You seem awfully tired Kagome, are you well?" Kurama knew full well why the priestess was so exhausted; no doubt Youko had occupied her mind for the entirety of the night.

_=Now, how could I pass up such a delectable treat? You know you enjoyed it, Red.=_

_/Look what you've done, though. She's exhausted!/_

_=Mm…I could think of other ways to exhaust our little miko.=_

That was where Kurama cut the conversation off and turned back to Kagome when she said something almost incoherently. "Pardon?"

"I said if you're talking to that fox, tell him that the next time he kisses me in a sneak attack I'm going to cut off his ears and shove them up his ass. I don't even know his name."

Such a threat made him blink, though Kurama could not have helped the smile that tugged at his lips. The vivacious laughter that came from the fox in question almost made him question the demon's sanity, though it would not have been the first time.

_/You enjoy being threatened by a miko of all people?/_

_=I __**like**__ my women feisty…=_

_/You're suicidal, aren't you?/_

_=Not so much. You simply haven't experienced the pleasure that derives from angry sex yet, Red.=_

Once more, Kurama shut the conversation off and returned his attention to the girl in front of him. "I suppose I owe you for his behavior, no?"

"Wait a minute, you don't have to-"

He didn't let her finish. Instead he stood up and held out his hand to stop her as she went to follow suit. "You stay there and rest. I'll make you some breakfast, how does that sound?"

"You don't have to-"

"I _want _to." He watched with a sense of satisfaction as the priestess sat down once more and nodded her agreement. "Shall I surprise you?"

A yawned 'sure' was all that he received as a response. A grin touched his lips as he glanced back at her once more before he strode into the kitchen.

* * *

Through droopy eyes, Kagome watched him vanish through the kitchen door and yawned again. Oddly comfortable she curled up into the corner of the sofa and laid her head down on the armrest. The morning air was quiet, though not eerily so, and offered a gentle sense of peace. As one last yawn passed her lips she closed her eyes –just to relax a bit- and knew no more.

That was how Sango found her twenty minutes later. The slayer blinked at the sight and then furrowed her brows when she realized that Kagome had not been the source of the smell of breakfast. She put her hand on the hilt of her blade, though she was certain a burglar would not break in to cook breakfast, unless the person in question was a certifiable nut. She pushed the door open and blinked. The sight laid out before her made her arch an eyebrow as she dropped her hand from her blade so as to relocate them on her hips. "What are you doing?"

He glanced back at her, a smirk on his face that she deemed irritating, before he returned to what he had been doing. "I would assume that is obvious."

"I would think a man as smart as yourself would know the dangers in assuming." She snorted indignantly and crossed her arms over her chest. "I know foxes…nothing is ever obvious when there's a kitsune involved."

_Truly, nothing was ever obvious in any aspect._

His eyes flashed gold and her hand almost returned to the hilt of her blade. As quickly as the color had appeared it was gone, but Sango was not foolish enough to think that she had been seeing things.

"I owe Kagome for Youko's behavior." He noted the way that the slayer tensed and narrowed her eyes at him, but continued on. "I'm afraid he caused her to loose quite a bit of sleep."

"And just what, pray tell, did he do?"

"You ought to ask Kagome that. Just know that it was nothing horrible." That said, he turned and began the task of spooning food onto the plates he had found. It had been easy enough to locate a tray, as one had been hidden within the same cabinet, and he offered once last glance at the slayer as he headed back towards the living room where he had left Kagome. "There is plenty for you to take your fill, Sango-chan."

Sango watched him leave silently before she furrowed her brows. He told her that there was plenty of food for her to eat her fill, of her own food, in her own home. She wasn't certain whether to be grateful or not. After a moment she settled for gratitude, as it was rather obvious that he had purposely cooked enough for more than one person. "I'll find out what that fox did to Kagome before I thank him…"

* * *

As Kurama reentered the room he blinked, and then smiled a ghost of a smile. Though he had been in her home the girl had fallen asleep. He had to wonder if it had been because she trusted him –and possibly felt safe with him- or because the lack of sleep had finally become too much. He leaned towards the latter even as Youko cheered that it simply must have been the former. He ignored the fox for the most part as he set the tray down on the coffee table and stared down at the priestess. He wasn't certain whether to wake her so that she could eat or not.

He found that he did not have to make such a decision. The smell of breakfast seemed to have hit her –if he judged by the deep sniff she took in her sleep- and her eyes fluttered open shortly afterwards.

Though she knew that she should have been grateful, as she stared at the plate laid out in front of her, Kagome could not help the sadness that ensued from such a sight. It only served to remind her of the times Yusuke had cooked for her. All the same she shoved such thoughts away fiercely and plastered a grin to her lips as she sat up. She pressed the palms of her hands together and glanced at the avatar. "Aren't you eating?"

"It would have been presumptuous of me to use your food to cook for myself, Kagome"

For a long moment she only gave him a blank stare. After that she snorted and pointed at the door that led back to the kitchen. "You go get yourself a plate right now you idiot!"

Surprise flickered across his face at her command but Kagome didn't care much if she had startled him or not. She watched as he vanished back into the kitchen, an amused smirk on his face the entire way. Once she was alone again, she picked at her food quietly and stared despondently down at the scrambled eggs that sat there waiting to be eaten.

She knew he was not Yusuke, she knew that not one person was the duplicate of another and she knew it all too well, but she simply could not help but think of the detective. She sighed, tucked her legs against her chest so that she could set her chin on top of her knees and blew a strand of hair from her face with a depressed huff.

The sound of the door reached her ears and Kagome turned around with a smile on her lips once more.

* * *

"Yes my little Shikon miko… hide your pain, allow it to fester. It will only be that much easier to reclaim you." His gaze darted from the image in front of him to stare at the monk on the other side of the room. "Be proud monk. Part of the credit goes to you."

He strode over to the monk, a wicked grin on his lips as he gripped the man's chin and forced him to meet his gaze. "I really must thank you. Had it not been for that jealousy you harbored for the miko, I might have had a much harder time breaking that spirit of hers."

"Why use me?"

"Why? Because betrayal of a loved one is far too delicious to pass up." That said, he left the monk to wallow in his thoughts and chuckled as he sensed the mixed emotions from the other man. The hatred, shame, guilt, and sadness all rolled into one to make a delectable treat. After all, he fed off of such emotion.

The web had almost been completed.

* * *

**A/N:****_ "Hm…I wonder." _Whoever can tell me what this line that I used for Youko references, I will love you forever and the next chapter will be dedicated to you.**

**So now that you have read the chapter I have a little story to tell you. Who here has taken ancient/medieval art history? Well our term paper of course required us to go to a museum, and choose a piece of artwork to write about.**

**I was never able to get to the museum, but I checked out the online gallery. I found a cute little piece of Egyptian art –a gold statue of a cat- and figured I would fill up a few pages with the history of cat worshiping in ancient Egypt. With that done I could not think of a damn thing else to say, decided I would take the C because frankly I did not have time or sanity left to worry about it, and emailed it to my professor.**

**Who can guess what my grade ended up being?**

**Anyway, onto official authoress business (like I'm an official author).**

**This chapter's dedication goes to: My wonderful beta, IcyFire-MikoDemon and Goth_Lolita  
**

**Today's Rant: Writing quality**

**I cannot believe that I've run into so many fics that are composed of script writing and worse than that, text speak. I mean really? Do you ever read an actual story in text speak? I can understand script writing to an extent, but text speak is a big NO. Leave the text speak for the texting. If you're writing a story use proper sentences, whole words (like 'you' rather than 'u') and good grammar. You never open a book and see a story written in that manner.**

**Now I don't have much else to say on this subject as I've already made my point. So I hope you enjoyed the chapter and now I am off to get some much-needed sleep. I stayed up till 5am writing this for you guys!**

**Ja ne minna!**


	20. Vindication

**A/N: Wow. It's been a year. I can't believe it. I'm going to have to make this chapter kick ass for all of you before I go back to school on the 19th.**

**So… an anonymous reviewer brought up an interesting point in a review of chapter 17. I'm not going to point it out, but it was kind of funny that I got such a review considering the content of this chapter…its not going to be a big chapter as far as how long it will be…but it will certainly be a big chapter all the same.**

**This chapter has not yet been reviewed by a beta.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Nah I didn't get them for Christmas…so I'm still writing **_**FANfiction**_**.

* * *

**

It had been a year. A year had gone by since the three of them had completed the Shikon no Tama and Kagome had barely even realized it. Though it had only felt like a few months, it had indeed been a year, almost to the day.

She had been with Yusuke for almost a year.

It had been nine months at best, and though they hadn't gone on many official dates they had still spent time together. A few tears rolled down her face as she realized just how foolish she had been. While she had loved him, and still did, it had never been a whole feeling of love. Though she had known his secret he had not known hers and without that knowledge she could never have known if she had loved the true Yusuke. After all, she had hidden beneath the mask of a normal human girl since she'd turned fifteen. If he had not known of her awareness, of her past experiences, she could have never known if he truly loved her for _her._

She could never have known whether she had loved the man behind the mask of his normalcy or the mask itself. She had never gotten to know him without his human mask in place.

Her breath came out in short, quick puffs of air as she stood still in front of the door, as her finger hovered just above the doorbell. Her jacket was warm and comfortable, but she felt oddly numb despite the fleece-lined clothing. A short burst of courage forced her finger against the doorbell, but it vanished just as quickly and she yanked away as if the split second touch had burnt her. The echo of the chime of the doorbell told her that she'd been too late. The footsteps that resulted told her that she was not fortunate enough for him to have been out.

The sound of the door as it creaked when it was opened almost hurt her ears and she immediately looked to the ground.

"K-Kagome? Wh-what are you doing here?" He paused to take a breath and she flinched when he furrowed his eyebrows at her. "Did you walk here? Its snowing out!"

"It doesn't matter…I'm not bothered by snow." She didn't look up as she spoke, but she watched him through the fray of her bangs all the same. An anxious lick of her lips betrayed the nerves that she had so desperately attempted to hide.

"So, why-?"

"I'm sorry."

"Okay- wait, what?"

As difficult as it had been the first time, it was even harder to repeat herself. However, Kagome managed and slowly looked up at him to meet his eyes for the first time in quite a long time. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you-"

"You…were right. I should have told you that I knew…because, I really did trust you…but..." she had to pause to blink away a fresh batch of tears. "I was…so happy being with you… that I didn't even realize that I wasn't really with you at all…that I had been keeping us from honestly getting to know each other."

"K-Kagome…"

"Please…just…let me speak." In that instant she couldn't bare to look at him and so she hung her head instead, to hide the tears that she was unable to restrain. "I…really did love you, I still do you know…but I realized recently that until you knew everything neither one of us could really love the other one…so…for being foolish and presumptuous enough to think that I knew you as you truly are…for loving the human mask that you wear instead of you in your entirety…I am truly sorry."

He tried to speak once more but she silenced him simply by the way that she turned to meet his gaze.

"But Yusuke… I will never be sorry for loving you…even if it was only a part of you in that instant." She looked away from him after a long moment of silence and a slight smile passed her lips, though it was far from a happy expression. "I just…wanted you to know…and its okay…if you hate me."

Yusuke opened his mouth to speak but was unable to actually produce a coherent form of speech. No sound passed his lips and he froze when the priestess turned, kissed his cheek, and turned her back on him.

"Sayonara Yusuke…"

With only two simple words as her farewell, Yusuke remained frozen as he watched her form disappear into the snow. His mouth hung open as he tried to call her back and a peculiar wetness brought him back to his senses. The tips of his fingers brushed the spot of flesh that she had kissed and he blinked at the sight of the water that coated his fingers when he pulled the digits back into his line of sight. He hadn't even realized that tears had been rolling down his face.

"Even…after everything that's happened…I didn't expect her…to say goodbye."

A sense of foolishness plagued him after that and he clenched his hand into a fist as he thought on what she had said to him. Even if he hadn't known and couldn't have shown her all of him, she had known. Simply because she had always known, he realized one thing.

She had given him all of herself.

* * *

The subway was eerily quiet and just as empty. Normally, such an occurrence would have caused the priestess to raise her guard but in that instant she _wanted_ to be alone. To be around people in the frame of mind that she was in at that point in time would have only made her feel worse. To be unhappy in front of almost anyone, simply made Kagome disappointed in herself.

Always, she had been the happy one. She had been the cheerful schoolgirl from the future that had held the group together by being able to smile. It had been what she was good at for so long and she hadn't even realized that she had given it up.

She hadn't been certain where the sudden desire to speak to Yusuke had come from and it had been two and a half weeks since she had more or less encountered the demon within Kurama. The avatar had continued to visit the shrine in that time, though the air around them hadn't been awkward so much as it had been somewhat embarrassing.

Nonetheless, Kagome had done what she knew that she had needed to do. With that out of the way, she had no regrets. She hopped off the subway when it came to her stop and stretched her arms over her head with a quiet grunt. The time had passed quicker than she had realized and her joints had gotten annoyingly stiff. The walk back to the shrine from the subway station did her quite a bit of good, and she let out a breath as she reached the top of the stairs. With her head hung, she blinked at the sight of the black dress shoes in front of her and slowly looked upwards until her gaze met the green eyes of the avatar. When she saw the slightest hint of gold within them she couldn't help the hue of pink that tinted her face.

She could not tell if the smirk on his face was one of the human avatar, or the demon he housed. All the same, she gathered her composure –or what was left of it– and straightened herself out with a sharp breath. "I'm…actually glad to see you."

At that, he raised an eyebrow and craned his head to the side curiously. "As per usual?"

"Oh! No, I didn't mean it like that…I mean… you're good company and all…I just…" Kagome groaned and buried her face in the palms of her hands before she turned a scowl on the man as he grinned at her. "Oh shut up."

He laughed good-naturedly at her flustered state and she responded by crossing her arms over her chest with a huff. "Well…I _was_ glad to see you."

"Oh come now, Kagome. I'm not so terrible, am I Koneko-chan?"

The nickname caught her by surprise but told her just whom it was that she was speaking to in that instant. "Oh, its you."

"I'm hurt, my miko."

"I don't think I could do much to puncture that ego of yours, so could you just shut up and let me talk for a minute?" Impatiently, she tapped the toe of her shoe against the cobblestone walkway and waited for him to indicate whether or not he would do as she requested.

"As you wish, kitten. Speak then."

An exasperated sigh escaped her lips and Kagome looked down for a moment before she lifted her gaze back to him. She steeled her resolve and dropped her hands back to her sides to look at him seriously. "I need you to do something for me…please. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important, but…Sango can't know."

Instinctively, he straightened as well and Kurama was allowed to return to the forefront of their shared mind. The avatar stared down at the miko and the fox stared from behind the eyes of his other half. "What do you need, Kagome?"

At first he didn't think she was going to answer him, but then Kagome swallowed thickly and managed to speak once more. "My little brother…he's in the hospital right now…don't ask me the details but for right now…I'm going to ask you to protect him in my stead."

For a long moment he stared at her wordlessly, before he offered a response. "Why would I need to do that, Kagome? What is it that you're planning?"

"I said not to ask me for details." She ran her fingers through her hair as he noticed that she did when anxious, and he frowned. "Look…I'm not going to ask something obscene like for you to trust me…but please, just protect my brother. He has nothing to do with anything I've ever done so don't punish him for it."

At that, Kurama blinked. That the little human maintained such a thought process, that he saw her in such a manner, was oddly upsetting. He maintained his composure all the same, and nodded his agreement. "You will have nothing to fear, Kagome."

"I doubt that, but thanks anyway."

She turned once as she headed back to the shrine, smiled, and vanished inside. As he lost sight of her, neither he nor Youko could push away the sense of dread that hung in the air.

* * *

It was five in the morning and Kagome had already been awake for over an hour. A cup of coffee and a piece of toast had gotten her going and had been subtle enough not to wake the slayer. She licked her lips anxiously as she checked her ammunition, and holstered her gun silently. She'd strapped a bow and a full quiver of arrows to her back as well as a wakizashi at her side, but did not bother to pack anything else.

It was a very real possibility that she was not going to return.

She glanced back at the shrine once as she stood before the Goshinboku and lowered her gaze to the ground. "I'm sorry Sango…"

With her eyes closed in a mixture of remorse and determination, Kagome brought her energy to the surface of her skin, borrowed energy from the Goshinboku, and stared into the depths of the portal that appeared as a result of her efforts. She steeled herself as she stared into the mass of energy that swirled about, before she took a step forward and allowed it to devour her. The presence of demons on each and every side of her told her that she had been successful.

She had made it to Makai. She had made it there, as a lone priestess in a world of demons.

It took her a long few minutes before she was able to pinpoint the direction that she needed to travel, but once she had she began a steady pace in that direction. A few demons tried to bother her on her trek through their worlds, but a flare of purification scared the majority off. The ones that were stupid or brave enough to continue to harass her met with the business end of her blade. She didn't dare use her gun or her bow, as she knew that she had to save the ammunition until it was absolutely necessary. She had to save it up until that very point that she met up with _him._

It was okay though, because she was ready. After all that had happened she had found herself ready to face the demons of her past, both literally and figuratively. Ultimately, she decided that she did not have to win against him; she simply had to make certain that he lost. "Only a means to an end, Kagome…only a means to an end."

It was all that she had ever been since the day of her fifteenth birthday and for the first time she was fine with it.

The newly built castle loomed in the distance and she knew that she had found the right place by the miasma that hovered in the air. He stood in front of her, his lips twisted into a smug grin, but she offered him no response aside from her unyielding gaze.

"Well, hello Kagome-chan…did you miss me that much, my miko?"

Her response was a bullet to his shoulder. For a long moment he simply stared at her, startled by the volatile reaction, before he threw a smirk in her direction.

"So it begins, my Kagome-chan…"

* * *

Wearily, Inuyasha looked up from where he'd been confined, strained to listen to the sounds outside the walls that held them and growled. It couldn't have been. It simply couldn't have.

"What's your problem now, Inuyasha?" The half demon glanced at the red fox once and met his gaze only once. The silent exchange was all that was needed and Shippo turned an ashen shade of white.

"She didn't…" A crash rattled the building and the undeniable sense of purification filtered through the air. "Fuck, she did."

A vivacious bout of laughter came from Inari, who had been immobilized by a mixture of several potent charms and wards. Truly, Naraku had thought out each and every move, inch by little tiny inch. "I must admit…I expected nothing less."

Inuyasha snarled and tugged at the wards that kept him still, though he was only rewarded with a shock of spiritual energy. She shouldn't have been there. She had promised to stay safe in the human world. She had never broken a promise to him before. Only he had ever broken such promises. He had failed to protect her yet again. "That stupid wench!"

Another sudden blast of purification shattered the windows, and when the energy touched the wards, several fell away to the ground uselessly. With a victorious bark of laughter, Inari was on his feet and out the window.

Shippo stared blankly after the fox god, and his mouth hung open indignantly. "Did he…just leave us here?"

"Runt, are you fuckin' blind?" A firm tug at his own bonds managed to free his arm and he tore the rest of the wards off. They burned at his skin, but his human blood protected him from too much harm. He spun around, tore off the wards that contained the red fox and bolted out the window, despite his own wounds. He hardly noticed the younger demon's shout to wait for him, and almost forgot to breathe at the sight that met his eyes.

The miko that he so loved, the girl that had always fought to survive, had an expression on his face that he knew was bound to haunt him for the rest of his days. He noticed the Shikon that dangled around her neck and his blood froze. She had gone there to save them, but she had not gone there with the intentions of leaving. "She wouldn't…no. Kagome wouldn't do that."

Of all the things that he had ever wished, in that instant he wished that his instincts were wrong. He wished with all his being that what he suspected the little priestess of planning was simply paranoia. He wished for it even more than he had ever wished to be a full-blooded demon.

"Kagome wouldn't do that…"

Self-sacrifice was something that Kikyo would have done. Kagome wasn't Kikyo. He knew that, even if it had taken him an obscene amount of time to actually realize it. He _had_ realized it though, and he was _not_ going to allow her to do such a thing. He had already lost her and he knew it, but he was not going to allow her to die. He had vowed to protect her and he had already broken his promises to her far too many times.

He did not plan to make those mistakes again. So with that resolve, he leapt into the fray of battle to fight by her side.

Naraku had kept them alive for one obvious reason. He had been baiting Kagome. The man had planned to kill them in front of her, he had told them such, but it had been that foolish mistake that served as his downfall. Each and every one of them had underestimated the miko, and that had been a foolish mistake on their part just as much as it had been for the spider.

The fight didn't last for too long before both sides slowed in their efforts, but that wasn't to say that there was any clear cut victor. The spider had lost a few limbs in the confrontation, but such injury was of little consequence to a being like him. There was only one thing that each and every combatant knew for certain.

The legend of the Shikon had come to its final act and the curtain was about to fall.

* * *

**A/N: So…no one was able to get that reference last chapter! Should I feel accomplished at stumping you guys? Just kidding. But I suppose you're all waiting to find out what it was huh? Well, that reference was to a character in a stat building game designed by a group called 'SakeVisual'. The game is called RE-Alistair. They specialize more in visual novels but its cute, regardless. Check them out and see if you can find the reference!**

**So in the last chapter I got an anonymous reviewer asking me why I stay up to all hours of the night writing chapters for all of you. That, my friends, is very simple. I get terrible insomnia and writing keeps me from staring at the ceiling and going utterly insane. I've got to thank you for the concern though, but I didn't fail anything, so no worries!**

**Anyway…today's dedication goes to…everyone! You've all been wonderful readers and reviewers and this is my ridiculously late holiday gift to all of you.**

**Today's Rant: Foreshadowing**

**Holy hell people do not tell your audience exactly what's going to happen! It takes the enjoyment and suspense out of the story and people will get bored if they know what's going to happen before it even happens. Use foreshadowing to **_**hint**_** at what **_**could**_** happen. Even then, use it sparingly. Unexpected twists and turns are what make a story fun and entertaining to read!**

'**Little did she know, that was exactly what would happen.'**

**Really? Where's the suspense and excitement? If you know ten minutes into a movie everything that's going to happen then how are you going to enjoy it?**

**Ja ne minna!**


	21. Inanition

**A/N: So it seems I annoyed a few of you with the last chapter's ending huh? Sorry this has taken so long to get out guys- I've been sick lately. Well I'm bored and really wired on coffee right now (yay for the school store screwing up my order and making me bounce off the walls) so…here's a new chapter for you all to enjoy!**

**This chapter has not yet been reviewed by a beta.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: I'm still just a poor broke college student…so no, I don't own either of these anime's or manga.**

* * *

No one was quite sure what had happened. One moment they had been in pitched combat with the man who had haunted them for so long and the next they had only just begun to open their eyes, unable to remember when they had been closed.

_The dust had not yet settled._

When Inuyasha first opened his eyes he could see nothing but the debris that floated in the air around them. He might have climbed to his feet, if he could have moved any of his limbs. For the time being, he was forced to simply lie there uselessly and it aggravated him to no end.

"Kaa-san!"

The cry that came from the fox made his blood run cold and Inuyasha abandoned all ideas of maintaining his dignity as he attempted to scramble to his feet. It took effort and a bit of humiliation, but he managed and that was all that mattered. He rushed over to where Shippo knelt with the priestess in his arms and frowned at the sight.

Outwardly, there did not appear to be anything wrong with her.

However, the hauntingly chilled air that hung around the unconscious woman told them otherwise. It wasn't poison, or anything physical for that matter; they would have been able to see such wounds as that. Rather, whatever had been done to the priestess was only known because they had felt it. The energy that radiated off of her was still there, but it put a chill in the air that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up straight.

It reminded him of Kikyo. It was the same air that Kikyo had emitted when she had first been brought back from the dead.

That cold and unfeeling air had not suited the Kikyo he had known and it suited Kagome even less. Eventually, the silence became too much for him, and Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest with a displeased grunt. "So what the hell is wrong with the wench?"

Another long silence followed his question and the half demon almost forgot to breathe. He understood the implications of such deadly silence. He opened his mouth to say something and be rid of the horrid silence, but the fox god beat him to it.

"She's alive…for the most part. I suggest we get miko-chan back to the human world for now. We're too vulnerable here as we are now." When nobody moved the fox god narrowed his eyes pointedly. "Did I happen to stutter? Get your sorry asses off the ground and move it!"

* * *

Once the order had been given it hadn't taken long for them to return to the human world. Sango had rushed up to them the second that they had appeared on the shrine grounds and the look on her face could not have been described by a single emotion. It was the same look that the little priestess had worn after each encounter during the fiasco with Inuyasha and Kikyo. In the time that it had taken them to travel between the realms Kagome had not woken and the unawareness of the small priestess worried the fox. As long as he had been with her, even as a child, he had never seen her lost for such an extended amount of time.

When Kikyo had taken her soul, she had reclaimed it. When Kanna had sealed her soul within her mirror she had continued to fight. When Tsubaki had cursed her she had turned the magic back on the dark priestess.

No matter what had ever happened, Kagome had never simply done nothing. She had always fought back.

As he stared down at her prone form Shippo was almost uncertain of whether or not the body before him was truly the woman who he called his mother. He had never seen her so completely vulnerable, save for the times that she had been so broken by the hands of the half demon and his undead priestess.

The loud bang of someone at the front door caught the lot of them off guard, as it was obvious when Inuyasha had reached for the hilt of his blade and Kouga spun around with a feral growl that served as proof of his heritage. They had only been in the human world for ten minutes at the most, and the timing was far too coincidental for it to have been anyone without the ability to sense their return.

"Fucking damn it, let me in or I'm knocking the damn door off the freaking hinges!"

At that, Shippo blinked and furrowed his eyebrows. He noted the way that both Inuyasha and Kouga snarled their displeasure at the detective's voice but he was even more interested in the blank expression on the fox god's face. He had never seen the man with an appearance so similar to his former mentor. In the gravest of situations, Inari had always managed to joke and laugh, just as his nature would have suggested. In that instant the man seemed so hollow that it sent a rush of anxiety through his veins.

When nobody moved to let the detective in as he'd requested, the door -as promised- flew off the hinges. Shippo stayed at his mother's side throughout it all, and offered nothing aside from a slight narrowing of the eyes when the man who had hurt her so badly dared to take a look at her prone form.

"Wha…what the hell happened to her?"

"You're one to ask such bold questions, runt." Inuyasha uttered the words testily as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared the boy down. Despite the utter torment that the half demon had caused the woman, Inuyasha had never allowed anyone to harm Kagome. That was the one constant that leaned in his favor as far as Shippo was concerned. Inuyasha had never even allowed Kikyo to harm her. Granted, the half demon might not have gone to the same extent to protect the girl of the future but he had not simply allowed harm to befall her either.

"Well its obvious that you can't protect her! How can I just leave her with you morons?"

That caught his attention and Shippo cursed himself for the way he had slipped into his musings. Doing such a thing was a surefire way to get killed. He spun around once more to glare at the detective but blinked instead at the expression on Inuyasha's face; the only thing that the half demon offered was a cold stare that froze even his blood in his veins. He had never been able to see the relationship between Sesshomaru and Inuyasha as much as he did in that instant.

"Really? You think that the way you blow hot and cold like a bitch in heat, you'll be able to protect her any better?" He snorted and narrowed his eyes, which were just barely rimmed with a dangerous shade of crimson, as he tilted his head back to look down at the man in front of him. "Go get a clue, runt. And I better not see that sorry ass of yours until you got your head on straight. Kagome's stupid enough that she would be upset to know you were dead."

A heavy silence hung over the room of a long moment, and was only broken by the slam of the door as Inuyasha left the room to claim refuge in the branches of the Goshinboku. Slowly, Shippo turned his gaze from the door that the half demon had vanished through, and narrowed his eyes at the stunned detective. "You wouldn't happen to be deaf now would you, or just slow?"

"Slow I'd say. Now get the hell out of here before I shove your nose into the back of your skull. Mutt's right. Kagome really would be upset to see you _dead_." The emphasis on the last word spoken was blatant and Shippo decided that if the detective did not take the hint at that juncture then he surely was slower than they already gave him credit for.

It was a bit of a bittersweet victory when the detective finally left.

* * *

Yusuke had tried to argue, he truly had, but as he had taken in the half demon's unspoken threat, the sight of the angry demons in front of him, and the vulnerable form of the woman on the sofa he knew that it was time to tread carefully. When Kagome had gone to his apartment and said goodbye it had been with such a sense of finality that he had been frightened. He knew he shouldn't have been. He had told himself to simply get over her, that she had lied to him, but he simply could not forget her. He was not able to give her up.

For the time being, he had left. Even he knew when to back down and try his hand another time. He had been reluctant to leave the priestess but he had little choice in the matter and he had known it. He had accepted the fact that he had messed up, but if nobody gave him the chance to repent for what he had done, then he could not figure out how to go about doing so. It wasn't fair.

But then, he hadn't been quite fair either. Karma really was a bitch.

* * *

When Kagome woke up she immediately shut her eyes. The light was bothersome and she found that she rather preferred the serenity that the darkness of sleep had provided her. She heard the scrambles of footsteps though she had felt the movement of each one of them before she had heard them, and sighed uninterestedly.

Vaguely, she noted that something was missing but in that instant she could not find it in herself to care too much about what it was. She sighed resolutely as she opened her eyes and blinked at the close proximity of her face to the demons that had surrounded her upon the sounds of her waking. "Do you mind?"

They each gave their own variation of a concerned frown, but she still could not bring herself to care. She realized distantly that such an impassive nature was more suited to Kikyo than to her and she noted the irony of it as well. She had denied that she was Kikyo for so long and in the end she had only become the woman anyway. She had always been unable to escape the shadow of the older priestess and she had finally been completely eclipsed by it.

She might have been upset, had she cared. As it stood, there was a hollow sense of emptiness within her and as ironic as it was, it was all that she could feel in that instant. Something was wrong, she knew it as fact, but she was unable to care enough to do anything about it. She felt nothing.

"Miko-chan?"

As the fox god addressed her with the term of endearment that he had assigned her, Kagome turned to look at him and merely craned her head to the side in a silent inquiry. She remembered the fight with Naraku, though the entire battle had been quick and simple. It had not been the long and drawn out battle that might have seemed characteristic and nearly ritual to their encounters with the spider and it made her wonder just why Naraku had fled so easily. Certainly, she had managed to purify him to a painful extent, but she had never known him to run in such a hasty manner.

For the moment though, they had begun to crowd her and that had to be remedied before she could hope to think straight. She cleared her throat after a moment and glanced back to them. "I'd like to go back to sleep for a while. I think I'm still really tired."

The response was a hesitant one, but she was granted her wish all the same. She had been left alone once again.

* * *

Inari hummed thoughtfully as he tapped his fingers against the sides of his crossed arms and glanced across the kitchen to stare at the door that lead back to the priestess. None of them were foolish enough to believe that she had actually gone back to sleep and her desire to be left alone was worrisome. Kagome had always thrived on being amongst her friends and family. Kagome had never been the type for solitude.

He went over the facts in his mind again and again. Each time he came up with the same answer. He didn't want to believe it, he didn't want it to be true, but he knew that it was the only plausible explanation. "Her heart."

A long silence followed the simple statement, but the fox god knew that he'd gotten their attention.

"Keh. What the hell about it?"

The way Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest was proof of his irritation, but Inari commended him on the improvement that the half demon had shown. He was certainly no diplomat but he wasn't the brash man that he had been only a few days prior. Inari wasn't certain how long such a change in attitude would last, as it seemed to have only been a result of what had happened to the little priestess. It was almost a pity that the half demon had wasted his chance with her so utterly, but it had been his own fault in doing so.

"Naraku has stolen her heart."

The way that the lot of them, save for Shippo, stuttered and babbled incoherently might have been funny, but in that instant Inari could not find the humor in it. The priestess, his priestess, had been harmed in a manner that had the very real possibility of killing the girl, immortal or not.

"You mean…like Kagura?" Shippo's voice was hesitant and Inari could not blame the younger fox for it. The air seemed to grow cold at the red fox's question and Inari nodded slowly, though no response was truly necessary. "Well…then why does she seem so emotionless? Kagura was still able to feel emotion when Naraku had her heart."

"Do you truly think that a being like Naraku would not develop more ways of stealing a person's heart, or do you not understand what it truly means to steal one's heart?" They only stared at him and so Inari had to assume that it was the latter rather than the former. "When a heart is stolen in this sense of the term, it means that the thief has taken from the victim what is most important to them about themselves. For this Kagura of yours, it was her freedom. For Kagome, it is her ability to love and care for others above all else. In summary, Naraku has taken her ability to feel emotion. Her power came from the emotion that she so readily embraced and used as strength. For many emotion is weakness, but for her, it was the source of her power."

Understanding had never been so frightening as it was for them, but Inari was sympathetic to their plight as he felt it as well, even if not as badly. The priestess had always been the support of the lot of them and without support any structure is doomed to crumble.

Without Kagome they were dead in the water.

* * *

As promised, Kurama had checked in on her brother and once he had sensed her return, he had excused himself to leave. Kagome had rather worried him in the way that she had spoken the day before, as her demeanor had been that of a person who knew that they were about to head to their death. It had been so unlike her and it certainly didn't suit her any.

_=Far more suited to a 'proper' miko I'd say.=_

His counterpart had been eerily silent for a long time, since the priestess had left actually, and so when the fox had spoken once more, it had been both a startle and a relief.

_/You do not think she is a proper miko?/_

_=Does a proper miko befriend and ally herself with demons? Does a proper miko adopt an orphaned kit? No Red, a proper miko kills our kind indiscriminately. Our miko is __**not**__ a proper miko.=_

Unable to come up with a response, Kurama simply remained silent on his trek to the shrine. If anything he was curious to make certain that she was unharmed. He reached the grounds quicker than he had expected to and furrowed his brows curiously at the broken front door. He might have been worried, had he not been able to pick up Yusuke's scent. He ought to have recognized the detective's handiwork as it was.

As he stood there with his mouth open, ready to alert them to his presence, he did not miss the words that flitted in from the room to his left.

"_Naraku has stolen her heart."_

Youko had heard of such a thing from his time in the feudal era, but neither of them had factored in the possibility when they had simply stood back and allowed her to leave without argument.

"_In summary, Naraku has taken her ability to feel emotion."_

Anything else that was said was lost on the both of them, and the avatar vanished soundlessly, as if he had never even been there; as far as they knew, he hadn't. Such was the stealth of a thief. They had been so close in gaining the priestess's favor and the both of them knew it. The chance, however, had been snatched right out from under them and the culprit was likely to not even realize what he had taken from them.

It did not matter. No one stole from Youko Kurama and lived to tell about it.

* * *

**A/N: Hey all! I hope you enjoyed the chapter and, yes, I know I suck for taking so long to get it out. Sorry all! Doesn't the fact that you have to periodically return to reality and actually do homework just suck sometimes? Seriously, you guys are lucky I managed to get this out; we're just about to start midterms. I'm still going to keep this story moving, so don't worry. It won't be abandoned.**

**Today's Dedication: maxeyn, for being the only one to know what RE-Alistair was.**

**Today's Rant: Comma use**

**Have you ever seen those stories that have a comma nearly every other word? I'm sure you have, there's a lot out there. Seriously, it makes me feel like I'm trying to read a story that was written on a 'connect-the-dots' game. Commas are grammar 101 but a lot of people seem to forget exactly how the little suckers are supposed to be used. You know guys…spell check is good for more than just spelling. Look for the green squiggly lines!**

**Side Rant: The next guy in my karate class to say "I don't want to hurt a girl" is going to get a front kick to the balls.**

**Ja ne minna!**


	22. Articulation

**A/N: So…you guys have every right to hate me. You guys understand how hectic the few weeks before finals are right? Riiiight?**

**This chapter has not yet been reviewed by a beta.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: I'm still just a poor broke college student…so no, I don't own either of these anime's or manga.**

* * *

A few days, almost a week had passed since they had escaped the clutches of the spider. Granted, not one of them was under the belief that they had escaped any more than the spider had _let_ them go. After all, Naraku had snatched his prize.

Initially, Kagome had been somewhat concerned over the lack of emotions that the loss of her heart had brought about, not that she had truly cared, until she had noticed something rather interesting. She could think clearly. There was no emotional fog to cloud her mind. There was logic and strategic thought where there had been a blindfold of emotional ties. There was understanding where there had been confusion.

_She could __**see**__ so much more, so much further._

Of course, she was aware of the concern that the people around her displayed for her new impassive nature, but she could offer nothing in return, nor did she care to. She was brought from her thoughts as the twang of her bowstring reached her ears and she released her last arrow. It splintered the arrow that had previously claimed the center of the target, but she did not so much as bat an eye at the sight.

Truly, she had desired to train her skill with the bow for a bit longer, but the sense of an unfamiliar demonic energy drew her attention away from the task. She couldn't see the demon, but she knew that he was there. She had met him briefly, once, as he had been one of them to apprehend her for Reikai.

So, as he came into her line of sight, Kagome tilted her head curiously, though she met his emotionless expression with one of her own. "Can I help you, youkai-san?"

When he narrowed his eyes at her, she chuckled wryly, unaffected. She offered no other response as she waited for an answer, patiently. He had come to her shrine for a reason and she could wait to find out what it was if she had to. The hybrid in front of her was only wasting his own time by keeping silent.

"The fox, onna."

At that, Kagome blinked and furrowed her brows thoughtfully. "Kurama-san? What about him?"

The words had barely passed her lips before the man had her back to the Goshinboku and the edge of his blade to her throat. She merely offered him a raised eyebrow in response. After a moment more of silence, she sighed and lifted her hand to grasp the blade at her throat. Blood dribbled from the palm of her hand as she pushed the blade away from her person, whilst a light coat of healing ki wrapped around said hand to allow her to do so. "What on earth do you think I've done to him, hm? I haven't seen him in almost two weeks."

Upon such a declaration, Hiei backed up a step to study her, his intimidation tactic having failed anyway. There was no deceit on the woman and so he frowned thoughtfully. The fox had been missing for a week. Even Reikai had been unable to find the man. As infatuated as the fox had been with the priestess, Hiei had presumed that it had finally gotten the other man in trouble. Truly, if such a thing had happened, he would not have been surprised.

After a moment more of thought, he told her, though reluctantly.

* * *

Even though she was not able to care, Kagome could not have just sat by and done nothing. After all, if she had, it would have only given Naraku an advantage over them. Regardless of whether the spider could have used it against her personally, he could have still used it against her, indirectly.

So, as she slunk out of the shrine, a full quiver of arrows, a loaded gun and a blade at her side, she was assaulted by an unsurprising sense of déjà vu. She had only told the hybrid that she knew nothing of the avatar's whereabouts, but she had a good enough idea of where she might find him.

She hadn't been completely oblivious to the possessive nature that the fox had shown towards her, both before and after Yusuke had ended things. It hadn't concerned her too much, even when she had held the ability to feel emotion, as she was fairly certain of the reason for it.

She was, after all, the guardian of the Shikon. She was, after all, in possession of energy that could feed the demon for multiple lifetimes. She was, after all, a person that simply made a good tool.

She had been a jewel detector. She had been a shard purifier. She would never have been able to stay in the past if she had not been something worth using. If there had been no profit to be made of her, Inuyasha would have only shoved her right back down the well.

However, she shook the thought from her head, as she determined not to allow herself to become distracted over such a thing. So, the last thing she heard as she tore open a gateway between the realms was the frantic call of her kit and the rest of their diminished pack that had followed him.

She didn't look back.

* * *

As he looked back on it, he knew it had been foolish and hasty on his part. So driven by instinct and an impulsive passion, neither of which were validated or characteristic of him, he had allowed himself to be ensnared, in the web of a spider of all things. He might have been impressed with the level of strategy the man had shown to weave such a trap, had it been under different circumstances.

Kurama sighed, perturbed by the silence of his other half. He could not remember the last time he had heard the fox's voice. The silence might have been welcome, if it had not been for the situation in which it had been gained. So, the avatar hummed thoughtfully as he glanced about the room he had been left, bound by the energy of a dark priestess; dark or not, a priestess was still a priestess and he was still a demon.

Truly, he would have already been gone, and he was certain that the spider knew it too, if it had not been for one thing. The idea caused his jaw to clench in anger, but he maintained an otherwise impassive air, if only for his dignity. He, of all people, had been made into mere bait for the same little priestess that he had sought to help.

As the spider returned to his line of sight, Kurama craned his head to the side in mock curiosity. "You stir my curiosity in one aspect, I will admit this. Why do you think the miko will come for me if she cannot feel emotion? Why would she care?"

"I hold her heart, fox. That does not mean she cannot feel. She simply feels when and what I wish her to."

The smile that touched the other man's face did not sit well with him and Kurama instinctively clenched his jaw. It wasn't so much that he had been captured that aggravated him –granted, such an occurrence did not sit well with him either– but the fact that in an effort to assist the priestess he had only put her in danger. The sensation of failure was not one that he enjoyed.

"I could even make her love me, fox."

The snarl that escaped his lips could not have been helped.

Naraku craned his head to the side and smiled at the man mockingly. It had taken a week's time to maneuver the avatar to a point that he had been able to capture the demon, but time was of no consequence to one such as himself; he had waited five hundred years after all. Such patience would earn reward in the end, and the waiting he had done was about to come into fruition.

So, as he stood before the avatar, Naraku could not help the smile that touched his lips. He had allowed the man to believe that his hold on him was weak, but if the fox attempted the escape that he seemed so certain of being able accomplish, Naraku had no qualms in showing the fox just how sticky a spider's web could be.

It was intricate and beautiful to those who could appreciate it, but it was still deadly all the same.

* * *

As she pushed another branch out of her way, Kagome hummed thoughtfully. She was close, that much was for certain as she could feel a dull throb in the void of her chest. She could feel just enough, that there was a thin layer of fear wrapped around her senses. It was Naraku's doing, she was sure, to force such trepidation into her. He was mocking her, from a distance.

It was okay though, as she still could not feel enough to be bothered by it. Even if she could have felt, she was fairly certain that such petty taunting on the spider's part would have only angered her. The last time Naraku had truly angered her she had nearly killed him with a single arrow. That day, even Inuyasha had openly admitted to the power she had displayed.

That day had been a double-edged sword for her. Because of it, she had earned a slight bit of recognition as something more than the seer of the shards but she had also earned Naraku's interest. That had been the day that _she _had become his goal alongside the Shikon. Absently, her right hand fell to her chest, where her heart would have been otherwise.

She was close.

Swiftly, she brought up the palm of her hand and purified the demons that lunged for her as she strode into the spider's courtyard. Vaguely, she knew that she had more or less become the foolish insect that willingly got itself caught in the web of an arachnid.

_Come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly._

Foolishly, she had accepted his invitation. She couldn't have done anything else, even without the ability to feel. One did not need emotion to have a sense of honor or duty. She had a duty to those who were affected by the Shikon, and those who were affected because of Naraku's desire for her.

So, with her gun drawn, she charged the estate that loomed before her.

The mad dash across the front courtyard went by in a blur, until she was suddenly face to face with the man who had plagued them for so long. She met his gaze boldly, unafraid, despite the sensation of fear that he attempted to force onto her.

"So bold, my little miko. All for this fox? Tell me…what is he to you, dear?"

She slapped his hand away when he reached out to caress the side of her face and only offered him a bland stare. "What can I claim him to be? I do not know him…but that doesn't mean I will let you do as you please. I have a duty to those who have been hurt by the Shikon…or those who have been hurt because of you."

"That is the reason you allow Kikyo to live isn't it, my dear? You feel you owe a duty to the same woman who has made you so miserable for so many years."

At that, Kagome furrowed her brows at him thoughtfully. Certainly, Kikyo had tried to kill her before, but she had never truly blamed the older priestess; she knew the taste of bitterness that she had to have experienced. Holding petty grudges was counterproductive to stopping Naraku as it was; such negative sentiment was what he fed off of.

Even if he had stolen her heart, she was not going to allow him to control it so freely. It belonged to her and her alone. However, Naraku should have known that hearts could not be controlled. They could control their owners, but even their owners could not control their hearts.

The heart felt what it felt, regardless of a person's desire.

"I have no right to end her life, whether it be an undead existence or otherwise." That wasn't to say that if the older priestess ever tried to kill her again she would not stand up for herself; she had not had the ability to do so in the past, but she was no longer helpless. She no longer required the protection of others just to get by.

She no longer needed to rely on Inuyasha.

"Then let us begin, shall we?"

He lunged for her and in return, she pivoted on the ball of her heel, and caught him by his throat as a tentacle wove its way around her abdomen. Purification sat just below her skin and his hold on her heart tightened painfully. They were at a standstill, and they both knew it. They remained silent, wordlessly sizing one another up, until everything suddenly changed.

"I'll have to kill you another time Naraku. I only came here for one reason today." The corners of the priestess's lips twitched upwards into an unfeeling smirk as she caught the spider off guard with a blast of purification. She threw the stunned man across his courtyard and into the wall of his new estate, though she did not walk out of the scuffle unscathed. She earned a stab wound to the gut, courtesy of the tentacle that he had wrapped around her. The pain went ignored, even as she darted by the spider and into his estate.

It didn't take long to find him, as angry and poignantly desperate as his youki lashed about the air, and she slammed the door open so hard that it rattled the walls. They took a moment to eye one another before she stepped in front of him to work on the dark priestess energy that held the fox. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face as she combated the dark energy with her own, but she remained focused all the same. The miasma that filtered through the air made her head swim, but she shrugged off the effects with practiced ease; there would be time to recover later.

It all happened in a blur, but they made it. She had gotten them out. The irony of the situation was not missed on her.

* * *

However much time had passed, she did not know, but Kagome woke with a jolt as her wounded flesh burned with agony. Desperately, she tried to shy away from it but found herself unable to move due to the weight on her limbs; there was something on top of her.

"Don't move, Koneko-chan."

As her vision cleared, she noticed several things. The first thing she noticed was that her head hurt so badly that if she hadn't known otherwise, she might have thought she had run head first into a train. Secondly, the avatar's usually red hair had melted into an elegant silver that she had only ever seen on Sesshomaru; even though Inuyasha had held a certain sort of rough beauty about him, he had never been elegant. As her vision became vivid once more, she noticed that the gentle green that belonged to the avatar had been replaced by a haunting shade of gold.

"Ku…ra…ma?" Her voice sounded raspy and speaking hurt her throat, of which she did not appreciate; she could not stand how weak she sounded.

"Youko."

A blink of the eyes was all she could offer as she stared up at the fox demon, unwilling to make another attempt at speaking just yet. So, she swallowed thickly and winced as the motion strained her throat. "What…exactly…happened?"

"The spider has an impressive skill in poison… as well, we have been barricaded within a mountain surrounded by a barrier or sorts. I am uncertain of why I was able to pass, as the other demons are not."

"Mount Hakurei…but…I don't understand how…" Stiffly, Kagome rolled onto her side and hissed at the movement. She swatted the fox's hand away when he tried to make her lay down once more and was unprepared for the stern growl he sent in her direction. Her eyes popped open in surprise as he gripped her chin between his clawed thumb and forefinger and caught her gaze with his own. "What are you-"

"I do believe, I told you not to move. The barrier of the mountain has helped, but the poison still runs through your veins. Give it time to be purged."

Stunned, it was all Kagome could do to relent to his wishes. So, for the rest of the afternoon and into the early evening, the little priestess remained in her designated spot, under the watchful gaze of the fox demon. They talked on and off, about the things they had seen, though only briefly, though several times the conversation resulted in the bright reddening of the priestess's flesh. It had been determined, sometime during their few conversations, that the effects of Naraku's hold on the priestess's heart had been nullified by the barrier of the mountain. For the time being, she could feel again; even if it was only temporary, it was genuine sentiment.

So much had happened behind that ancient stone. The land had seen so much.

It was only once her flesh had stopped burning a number of hours later into the night, that she dared to move. She had been able to feel his gaze on her with each and every little movement, and took it as a good sign when he did not reprimand her for moving again. It took a bit of effort to make it to her feet and her muscles protested the weight, but she pushed through it all the same.

The next several days were spent in the same routine until, on the third day, the fox confronted her.

"Truly, you are a stubborn little thing aren't you?"

At that, Kagome spun to look at the fox, from where he had spoken just behind her, and could only gape at him for a moment before she snapped her mouth shut and frowned. She crossed her arms over her chest with a huff as she met his gaze defiantly. "And you aren't? I still don't understand what you want from me."

The way that his eyes glinted at her made her skin crawl. He strode towards her purposefully, and she took two steps back for each one that he took forward. She jumped as one clawed hand was placed firmly beside her head and the man leaned down so that the two of them were only a hair's breadth away from one another. "What makes you think I want something _from_ you, kitten?"

Baffled, Kagome could only blink as she stared up at him. She had no answer for him.

"A better question might be why you so willingly walked into such an obvious trap."

Quietly, Kagome averted her gaze from him, and anxiously licked her lips as she felt his eyes bore into her. She didn't even think to retort that he had done so first; she had only followed. "I…couldn't just let Naraku absorb you. Besides… it's my duty to stop him."

"Duty then is it?"

The bitter tone of voice caught her by surprise, and Kagome turned to look at him, startled. She opened her mouth to question why he seemed so upset, but firmly snapped it shut when his other hand slammed into the wall on the other side of her head, effectively cornering her. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him, taken aback by the ferocity of the fox that had been so playful in their past interactions. She swallowed thickly once more, as she held his gaze. "What do you _want_?"

For a long moment, Youko only stared down at his little priestess, amused by the way the small woman behaved. She had lost her memory of the majority of the battle that had ensued, but he had not. She was not ready to relive it though. She had broken through the effects of the spider's grip on her heart without the barrier and solely on the use of her own energy. She'd had the return of feeling before they had made it to the mountain.

It had only been the rage that she had displayed that they had made it.

She couldn't know right away, because he knew that she would only go after the spider the second that he told her. He couldn't tell her what had happened just yet. She might have been human, but she had a sense of pack dynamics just as much as the dog lord who had acknowledged her as such.

All the same, he was Youko Kurama and he was not afraid to reiterate to the woman, just what his desires were. He had expressed such many times beforehand, though he had known she had brushed it off; he was a fox, after all. Her assumptions in his attention had never been unjustified. Many years prior, things would have gone entirely differently.

That certainly wasn't to say that he planned to use and discard the girl; he would have been as foolish as the half-breed. In the time that they had spoken and exchanged stories, the subject of the dog had come up. He had already understood that there had been a history between the two of them –in fact, Naraku had made certain to tell him all about it– but it grated at his nerves, how little his priestess thought of herself.

Her question, once repeated, echoed through his ears and he took a step closer to the girl. He had been subtle for far too long. The damage that the half-breed had done had been obvious, but she had not been as so damaged until the detective had gotten to her. It was a pity that the boy wanted her back.

It was an even greater pity that he knew the small priestess still loved the fool.

He flashed her a playful smirk and brushed the tip of his clawed index finger along the concave of her throat. Her skin flushed and the chuckle that escaped his lips as a result could not have been helped. She had spent a good deal of time with his avatar once Yusuke had so foolishly left her, though the encounters had never been for too extended of a period of time. Nonetheless, he had seen the progression between the girl and his other half.

It was simply time to pick up the pace.

So, he pushed her back, which earned him a delicious-sounding squeak, and laid his forehead against her own. His lips hovered just above hers, and he relished in the way that her breath froze in her throat. "I want for nothing. Nothing, but you, that is, Koneko-chan."

With that, he left the little priestess, baffled and spluttering indignantly on the floor, to wander the adjoining cave systems and to hunt whatever unfortunate wildlife had wandered within the barrier. For the time being, he allowed the both of them to think.

* * *

"I don't fuckin' believe this!"

The walls rattled and Shippo frowned as he turned to look over at Inuyasha. He had seen the half demon angry, but never to the point that he had flung a glass across the room and broken a window. He had gutted demons and bathed in their blood, but he had never seen the man throw the temper tantrum of a four year old. He certainly had the mentality, but the sight was still new. "Look Inuyasha…I'm just as unhappy as you are, but Kagome-"

"Kagome is just as much of an idiot as she was in the feudal era! What does she think she's doing, sealing us to the damn shrine while she goes running off to Makai after that damned fox? It's been three fuckin' days!"

Shippo straightened right up and bared his fangs at the older male. Pointedly, he strode over to the taller man, as his gaze bled an angry hue of crimson. "Look Inuyasha…Kaa-san is more than capable of handling herself without you. She's had to do so long before she was ever trained, and Sesshomaru is the one who taught her."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest, but clamped it firmly shut, surprised when the red fox snarled at him.

"Shut up. While you were off following Kikyo around like a lost puppy, I watched her grow. She was my mother then and always will be, and I watched her grow to the point that she no longer needed you." He paused to judge the look on the half demon's face and a smirk twisted his lips with a vicious chuckle. "That's what this is about isn't it? She no longer needs you and you're afraid of that. After all, what ties did you have left to her if she isn't in love with you any longer? You were her protector…now that she can handle herself, what's left for you?"

Inuyasha stood there, stunned, as he watched the younger fox walk away. In that instant, he could not see the resemblance to the little fox that had always been so submissive and timid of him. The small boy he had known for so long was suddenly lost to his eyes just as the untrained priestess had been lost from his grasp.

That didn't change the fact that she had been gone for too long.

* * *

**A/N: Hey all! I hope you enjoyed the chapter and, yes, I know I suck for taking so long to get it out. Sorry all! My excuse is something I'm sure at least a few of you could understand. I've been car and job-hunting in all my free time…which was really nil, since we were coming up into finals and **_**everything**_** was due at once. The semester is over now so I have more free time than I know what to do with, until I find a job. So chapters should come at a better rate.**

**Today's Dedication: Pumpkin Maximus – for giving me one of the most thorough reviews in awhile. Don't worry; I love the rest of you too!**

**Special Mentions: To my wonderful beta, IcyFire-MikoDemon, I hope you had a wonderful 21****st**** birthday!**

**Also, happy (very late) birthday to Forbidden Shadow Foxx!**

**Today's Rant: 'Sweatdropping'**

**It's a pet peeve of mine. It works in an anime and manga, because it's a **_**visual**_** thing. To say a character 'sweatdropped' is not only a made up word, but also just… it sounds wrong.**

_**Kagome sweatdropped at the stupidity of the sight before her.**_

_**Kagome felt a bead of sweat roll down her face at the stupidity of the sight before her.**_

**Big difference! The former just sounds lazy and amateur… and uses a made-up word. The latter has a much better prose, and just sounds…well, better. And hey- no made up words! Can you tell I don't really like made-up words either?**

**Side Rant: I really should have punched the guy next to me in karate class… the idiot not only disrespected our instructor and never showed up (the rare times that he does show up, he shows up late and then leaves after twenty minutes) but he spun into me in the middle of kata practice. He does karate like a demented ballerina, I swear.**

**Ja ne minna!**


	23. Invocation

**A/N: So, I figured I'd update before I go and have the time of my life at the anime convention I just bought a ticket for. I'm going to AnimeNext! Just thought I'd give you guys a little treat too. I shouldn't have all the fun to myself huh?**

**This chapter has not yet been reviewed by a beta.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: If I owned either one of these… I wouldn't cringe every month that my bills come in.**

* * *

"Stop that!" Irritated, Kagome spun a scowl on the fox from over her shoulder, her skin flushed from the close proximity of his face to her own. They had been stuck in the confines of the mountain for the night and it was well into the day, perhaps two in the afternoon, that she finally could not stand it any longer.

"What?"

"Hovering! You're like a mosquito!" The night before still remained at the forefront of her mind and in doing so, it made her stomach flip uncomfortably every time he was near, or in her line of sight, or on her mind. She wasn't about to tell him that though. Goodness knows, he didn't need the boost to his ego. It did not help that he had taken to staying right on her heels, and only offered the extent of five feet between them at the most. In that instant, she could feel his breath on her skin, he was so close.

"Hm…a mosquito, am I? Should I suck your blood then, little miko?"

Pointedly, he bared his fangs in a grin and ran his tongue over the tips of his pointed canines. Flushed crimson, she uttered a hurried 'no' in return, and scurried to put more room between the two of them. It lasted for a total of thirty seconds. Then, he was at her heels once more.

This time, he was humming.

"Oh my god, you _are_ a mosquito." With her hands clamped over her ears, Kagome continued on her way, all the while wondering just how she had landed in such a position. They could not remain within the mountain forever, and she knew that Naraku was more than willing to wait them out. The spider had planned the siege after all. The spider had pushed them into the web in hopes that they would be stuck. He hadn't realized the true nature of a spider's web.

While intricate and deadly, they were utterly breakable and all too fragile.

"We have to leave…I'm not hiding from him." She still couldn't remember what had transpired in the battle the day before, but for the time being it was not important. She had gone there to retrieve the avatar and nothing beyond that. They were not prepared to defeat the spider and she knew it. Naraku knew it. They all knew it.

"Are you ready for that, Koneko-chan?"

"Does it matter?" Whether she was ready or not was a moot point. In the battle that they had been so mercilessly thrust into, whether one was ready or not was inconsequential. It was adaptation that mattered, not preparation. There was no preparation when it came to Naraku, simply because _he_ was so adaptable.

* * *

Getting Inuyasha to stand down had not been easy, nor had it been safe, but Shippo had never cared whether it was safe to antagonize the half demon or not. Once, he might have been frightened for the challenge for the title of alpha, but in that instant he wanted no more than to take it from the other male.

He might have been younger than the half-breed, but he understood pack dynamics more than the dog did, ironic as it was. He had never abandoned his pack mates and he would never follow someone who had.

Kouga hadn't even dared to challenge him for the title of alpha.

After what had happened in the Makai, when they had confronted Naraku, only one person was fool enough to work on his patience. Granted, he had never had much patience when it came to Inuyasha, anyway. As it stood in that very instant, _he_ was alpha. _He _was their pack leader. When Kagome returned she was alpha female, just as she had always been, whether she'd realized it or not.

Inari was proud of the kit. He had watched the interactions, distantly amused by it all as the younger fox so fiercely took the title that might have been the half-breed's blood right. Even if the brothers had hated each other once, and even if they had not cared for one another in the slightest, they had still belonged to one another. They were still pack. They still shared the same blood.

That wasn't to say that the fox god was fool enough to believe that blood was thicker than water. Such words were no more than a flowery dictum that humans comprised to keep them bound to each other. It was nothing more than a petty psychological trick.

There was a difference between family and relatives born of the same blood.

He was not a kind god, unless he chose to be such, and to use the word 'kind' was still a stretch, but he didn't express his true nature around his priestess's little pack. He did care for the girl and she was _his _priestess, but he did not attempt to sell himself as a caring and loving god as dear Kwannon might have been.

Lady Mercy would be rather upset.

She had probably already learned of the news. A loss such as the one that they had endured, the loss that had gotten them captured, did not remain a secret for long. It was ironic, he supposed, that the same loss was likely to lead them to victory if the spider boasted of it to his little priestess. The girl had a vicious temper when prompted. As for her heart, he understood the conditions of it, but she was _his _priestess. He would not allow any harm to come to her and the little goddess of mercy was rather fond of the girl as well.

Indeed, his priestess would be victorious, and it was time that she bore his mark. Certainly, he did not mean to take her as his mate, though he wasn't particularly against the idea. If he had not been certain that she would be displeased by the idea, he might have run with it. She was a beautiful and powerful woman and she would make a fine mate for anyone. Granted, anyone who did want her for their own would have to go through him to prove their worth in claiming his dear little priestess. He only meant to have her as his priestess, and her shrine would be kept as a dedication to him as a kami, marked as a part of his territory. Reikai would never touch her again. All who saw her would know that she was the priestess of the fox god, that she had his blessing and his power. It would be proof that he was loyal to her, and her alone.

Past incarnations did not apply.

* * *

In all his years, Youko had seen merciless and cruel things, he had committed a number of them himself, but he had never seen anything like the battle that waged in front of him. Certainly, he took part in aiding the little priestess by keeping her enemy's minions at bay, but she did not allow him near the battle that she partook in with the spider.

He was not keen in getting purified, kinky as it might have been in any other situation.

He hummed thoughtfully and shook his hand clean of blood as his last target fell, before he turned back to the woman to watch her fight. There was no doubt in his mind that the western lord had trained her. There was an oddly beautiful sense of irony to the picture that she offered him, as a priestess who had been trained by a demon and, as such, fought like one.

The western lord had to have been proud.

"I'll kill you, Naraku. I'll kill you slowly and painfully. I'm going to purify each and every atom of your many forms, one by fucking one." The words escaped her lips in a hiss as she stared her adversary down, as purification flickered about the two.

"Really now, Kagome-chan? He isn't dead you know, alive as any demon that has become a part of my body… are you willing to do the same to him?"

She responded with no more than a fresh wave of purification. He dodged and laughed at her feral response. She hefted her blade up in front of her, the cold metal charged with her energy as she eyed him emotionlessly. She could certainly feel emotion in that instant, as he had thought it might have been fun to torment her with it; he thought that her emotion towards what he had done would rattle her, rather than empower her.

That had been his mistake and she took full advantage of it.

A grunt passed her lips and she hit the ground hard as he tossed her to the side, too easily for her liking. She was on her feet quickly, but not fast enough. His trademark tentacles wrapped around her limbs and, much to her dislike, she could not help the shriek that escaped her lips.

Even she could not tell whether it had been of fear or anger, but she supposed that it did not matter.

He stepped closer to her and pain tore through her chest as he pointedly reminded her just how much control he held. She hissed, her eyes regretfully clenched shut, and trembled at the agony. She cringed when his breath tickled her throat and he cupped the side of her face with one hand. She jolted when the other stroked her through her jeans.

"My, my…still so sensitive, little Kagome-chan." He clicked his tongue at her and her hands itched with the urge to slap the grin right off his face. He seemed to notice, as the tentacles that held her only gripped her tighter. "Pity… you still don't seem to have learned your place."

He tilted his head to the side as he looked at her in mock compassion, and stroked his thumb along her cheek gently. "Perhaps it is time for another lesson, Kagome-chan."

She was pulled to the ground, held down, and the cry that escaped her lips could not have been helped as the chill of cool air brushed her bare flesh. She tried to purify him, she truly did, but it felt as if her energy had suddenly been locked behind a glass wall. She could see it, she could feel it, she could even taste it, but she could not reach it. Exposed to his view, she could not help but remember what had happened the last time, and she felt ill at the sense of déjà vu.

His skin touched hers and the glass shattered.

Naraku was quick enough to leap back, genuinely surprised by the turn of events, and his tentacles turned to ash as her limbs fell from their grasp. She turned to him, a glow of pure energy coated over her naked form, and she took a threatening step towards him.

"I will never let you touch me again…" Her voice seemed almost distorted, even to her own ears, but she didn't pause to think on it. There was time to wonder on such things later. In the meantime, she had a spider to kill. "I will kill you for what you have done…for Sesshomaru."

Once he had boasted of his accomplishment in absorbing the demon lord, she had remembered. She had forgotten the details of the battle that had gotten her trapped within the mountain with the fox, and the spider had been fool enough to tell her. He thought that it would destroy her, and perhaps it had on some level, but he should have known that she would not have been reduced to a helpless, quivering mess. She would have only dishonored the western lord's memory and insulted him as her mentor if she had done such a thing.

So she stepped forward to strike at the spider, and collapsed to her knees with a scream as her flesh began to burn. She could not help the tears that rolled down her eyes as she reached back desperately to feel for the burnt flesh, but she could not maneuver enough to do so. Her very being burned with agony, as she sunk to the ground and convulsed, her throat raw from her screams and too tight to make a sound any longer.

It seemed to last forever before it suddenly stopped, just as quickly as it had begun.

Even Naraku seemed to be at a loss for what had happened. The look on his face, confused as it was, might have been priceless under any other circumstances. As it was, there was no room for a sense of humor in that instant. Tentatively, she tried to move her fingers and, though the movement was stiff, she managed to do so. She was still trembling as she pushed herself to her knees, but she trudged through the pain nonetheless. Naraku wasn't going to wait for her to recover and she knew it.

Her nakedness forgotten, Kagome lunged for the man as he darted towards her and relished in his expression as her energy hit him. It was odd as she looked at the light that streamed from her fingertips. The usual pure white that colored her energy had transitioned to a dark, albeit beautiful, crimson that glittered in the air. Shivers wracked her body at the feel of it as it coursed through her. She had never felt such power in all her life.

It was both frightening and exhilarating, all at the same time.

Whatever had happened, she noticed one thing above all else. The emptiness that had plagued her, the void where her heart should have been, no longer ached as such. She could feel without pain, and her chest thudded with the beat of her heart that had almost become foreign to her. She licked her lips anxiously and picked her gaze up to look at the spider once more. She lashed out at him and he vanished, an obvious frown on his lips.

He had escaped once more.

With the threat gone, all that had happened caught up with her, and she sunk to her knees in the grass as the barrier that had surrounded the two of them fell to pieces and drifted away on the breeze that followed. It was only then, in that instant, that she allowed the tears to roll down her face so freely, willingly.

"Sesshomaru…" Her voice cracked, but she paid it no mind, as she did not care whether the fox saw such a display or not. Pride be damned, she could mourn the loss of her alpha, her pack leader, her brother. Where Naraku had failed once, he had not failed again. In the years that he had been given to plan in the gap between the ages, he had adapted enough. Once, he had almost been killed for his attempt to absorb the demon lord, and she wished that it could have still such a reality. She wished that he had not succeeded. She wished that her lord could have been there with her. He had been cold, but he had been a pillar of support that she would never have expected. It had been strictly platonic, but she had loved him. He had been absorbed because of her weakness. He had only gone after Naraku for her and Naraku had only gained such power because she had shattered the jewel.

If he had never gained the jewel fragments that he had in the feudal era, he would not have become the force that he had.

She jumped when two hands were gently set on either of her shoulders and she turned to glance at the owner of said extremities. She blinked wearily as her blue eyes met his green, and she wavered after a moment. "Kurama…"

He offered her a gentle gaze, and no words. For that, she was thankful. She did not want sympathy or pity; she simply wanted to grieve without judgment. So, he offered her silent understanding. She tugged her bottom lip into her mouth to chew on it for a moment before she relented. She tossed any idea of strength and composure out the window as she collapsed into his chest and sobbed into his shirt.

She was only vaguely aware of the way that he draped his jacket over her exposed form. Modesty was the last thing on her mind in that instant. She had more important things to occupy her thoughts.

Sesshomaru was gone.

* * *

Silently, Kurama glanced down to the sleeping priestess, and frowned thoughtfully. They had made it back to the human world only a few minutes prior, but she had not woken since she had cried herself to sleep earlier that day. He had thought to take her home, but had not wished to risk a confrontation with her pack so soon after she had learned of what had happened to her alpha. He was even less willing to bring her to the apartment that he shared with Yusuke.

_=We cannot stand in the middle of the road, Red. Do I need to take over?=_

_/No. She has been through enough./_

_=You think I would harm our female?=_

_/Not harm… annoy, perhaps. Goodness, you had her to the point that she was calling you a mosquito of all things./_

Silence met him for a moment before the fox offered him a displeased growl.

_=I am not so ignorant as the detective, Red. You best remember that.=_

The ferocity of which the fox shut the link startled him, but Kurama did not openly display such surprise. He did not have time to think on it before he turned to look at their visitor.

"Hn…the miko found you."

Curious, Kurama arched an eyebrow at the hybrid, but did not voice a response. He understood what had happened, as the priestess had already told them what had happened –albeit, she had done so unintentionally– in the midst of one of her rants at Youko. He couldn't deny that he had been amused by their interactions, and especially so in the way that she blushed when the fox teased her.

"Indeed she did…do I owe my thanks to you, for tipping her off, perhaps?"

"Hn."

That was the only response that he received before his disgruntled friend vanished into the night once more. He shook his head slightly, a sigh passing his lips as he did so, and glanced back to the girl in his arms. Reluctantly, he chose a destination, and began his way home. His apartment was closer.

He would simply keep the detective away from her, whether the boy liked it or not.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah…this was kind of short, maybe even a bit of a filler, but a necessary filler nonetheless. Important plot points and all. Does that disqualify it as a filler chapter? Call it what you will. Not much to say in the author note of this chapter since I'm kind of busy preparing for AnimeNext and all that good stuff. If any of you out there are going, I hope you have a good time too!**

**Today's Dedication: You're all awesome! And if any of you wanted to nominate this fic on Flawless Addiction, I certainly would not mind.  
**

**Today's Rant: Symbolizing**

**No I don't mean the deep meaningful symbolizing, I mean writing like this:**

**'Kagome & Sango waited & waited, until they were bored. Then they called the # that they were given. They had to pay $5 for the call.'**

**What…the…hell? Really? I don't think I even really need to go into what's wrong with this kind of writing. It's just laughable.  
**


	24. Liberation

**A/N: Hey everyone! Long time, huh? Sorry about that, totally my fault. I've been working on clearing out a few invading plot bunnies that keep harassing me. It hasn't been working very well.**

**In more exciting news I have recently been notified that Arachnophobia has been nominated for 'Best Drama' on Flawless Addiction, in the YYH/InY category. I don't know who did it and I seriously had not been expecting it. Honestly, I was stuttering like a rabid idiot for a good hour after I got the email. Then I scared the life out of my poor beta with my frantic text messages…I think she thought that I'd been viciously assaulted. Sorry Tenaj!**

**This chapter has not yet been reviewed by a beta.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: I don't cringe at my bills as much anymore…but I still don't own either of these series.**

* * *

When Kagome woke up, she first contemplated whether she had been run over by a steamroller, and then proceeded to make a failed attempt at jumping to her feet when she recognized her surroundings. Instead, she only succeeded in rolling off the sofa and flat onto her face with a rather loud thud. A pitiful groan escaped her lips, muffled by the fabric of the carpet, and the sound of rapid footsteps echoed in her ears soon after. "I'm loosing my bloody mind…"

"Not quite…but I wouldn't blame you if you did."

Her head shot up to look at the one behind the voice, and she hissed at the agony that tore through her upon the sudden movement. She hung her head back down and took a few deep breaths to stave off the rush of pain. It didn't help much, but she was able to ignore it all the same.

She had always been skilled in ignoring pain.

She had always been skilled in pretending that she was fine.

"What…the fuck happened to me?" A gentle pair of hands settled on the bare skin of her shoulders, and Kagome was suddenly very aware of the extent that she was exposed. She didn't say a word, because she remembered Naraku and a chill rushed through her veins. She could still feel the phantom touches of his hands on her body, through the fabric of her clothing, against the heat of her skin, and even the memory made her feel ill.

He had almost touched her again.

The thought only barely entered her frayed mind, and she wearily slumped back against the redhead. The grip he had on her shoulders tightened slightly, but she paid him no real mind. She remembered. She remembered what had almost happened, but more importantly she remembered what _had _happened.

She remembered what had been lost.

"Kurama…" She whimpered his name pitifully, and turned back slowly to look at him as she allowed the tears to roll down her face once more. She could only stare at him, unable to muster up the ability of speech as she began to tremble. Inuyasha might have called her pathetic once, for crying the way that she did, but even he ought to have understood. She wasn't a demon, but Sesshomaru had been her alpha, her pack leader. He had been her _family_.

Her alpha had been killed because of her weakness, because of her mistakes. He had been killed because of _her_.

With a heartbroken wail she spun around and fell into the avatar's chest, as she buried her face in his shirt and sobbed. Her body shook with her sobs and her flesh burned with heat, from where it stemmed she neither knew nor cared, but it didn't matter in that instant. Her pride had never been as important as the ones she loved so dearly. She would have given it up altogether a long time prior if it had meant that the more recent events of her life would have never come to pass.

It was the well's fault! If Mistress Centipede had never dragged her into its depths then nothing of the sort would have ever happened. Everything would have been fine. The Shikon would have remained peacefully in her side, Sango's clan would never have been killed, Kikyo would never have been forcibly resurrected and condemned to a half-life and she would have never shattered the damnable jewel in the first place. Naraku would never have gotten his hands on it.

She didn't realize that she had spoken aloud until his voice reached her ears and he hooked a finger beneath her chin to make her look at him.

"And then what, Kagome? Another demon would have found you… Inuyasha would have remained sealed to the Goshinboku, and Miroku would have died without having ever set eyes on the man to curse him." She opened her mouth to protest and he held his index finger to her lips to silence her. "Sesshomaru would have never come to know what it was like to take on a pack as he had with you, Kouga would have continued to allow _his _pack to kill humans, and Sango would have eventually been married off."

The slayer was skilled and highly respected for a woman in that era, but it still stood that she was a _woman_. She would have had no say in the matter, though she would have likely been given to a family of decent status. She had been the daughter of the head slayer, a noble in her own rights, but still a woman. In that day and age the only real value a woman was thought to have was to marry and bring honor and prosperity to the families in question. A woman like Sango would not have survived such a domesticated and submissive life. She was not a domestic in any sense of the term. A warrior like her needed to fight to live. It was a rare trait, even amongst his own kind, to see so vividly in anyone. Most fought for the sake of bloodshed or survival. Very few fought for the pure passion of battle, and even fewer understood how those who possessed such passion could not survive without it.

He waited a moment to see if he'd convinced her, and when she only stared at him hesitantly, he continued on. "Shippo… your kit, your son, would probably have died. His parents would have been hunted for their fur, regardless of whether their killers had shards of the jewel or not. Would you truly condemn your pack to such a fate? _Could_ you?"

She was silent for a long moment with her head hung, her eyes downcast, and at the sight of her coupled with the heavy scent of saline in the air Kurama was almost frightened that he had overstepped his boundaries. He set his jaw and readied to rectify the situation, when she lifted her head and met his gaze with such intensity that it startled him.

"No. No, I couldn't."

* * *

That night they simply talked. They bantered on and off, exchanged stories, and for a fleeting moment in time, it was only the two of them. There was no Shikon Jewel, there were no boundaries between their worlds, and there was no war looming on the horizon. There was no difference between them. They weren't a misfit priestess and a demon avatar, but simply Kagome and Kurama.

It didn't make her forget what had happened and she couldn't have said that she was able to switch over to a sense of happiness so easily but, for just a moment, Kagome wasn't looking over her shoulder. She didn't question his motives; she simply enjoyed the companionship that he offered. It might have only been for a moment, but it took a great amount of weight off of the both of them.

If only for a moment, they were allowed to simply _live._

"And then Shippo- oh wow, the sun's coming up…" Kagome blinked as she stared out the window at the reddening sky before she laughed and sunk back into the cushions of the sofa. "We've been up all night."

"Mm…I suppose we have."

She watched as he slid to his feet seamlessly, and stretched her arms over her head with a lazy groan. When he strode into the kitchen and set a pan on the stove, the priestess cocked her head to the side curiously. "You're cooking?"

"I'll take you home after you've eaten."

Perhaps he had meant to reassure her with such a statement, but it only left a vague sense of disappointment in the pit of her stomach, though she couldn't have said why. All the same, Kagome flashed him a smile and nodded her agreement as she set her chin in the palm of her hand to watch him.

She was disappointed in _herself_ when the sight of him only reminded her of Yusuke.

The detective had cooked for her a few times when they'd been together, and he'd been better at it than most people would have expected of him. She felt vaguely angry with herself for thinking of him when the avatar had been so kind to her. It wasn't fair and the sense of hypocrisy that resulted left a foul taste in her mouth. It was pitifully ironic, just how reversed her role had become. It was almost dizzying how turned around things were.

It was in that instant that she understood Inuyasha so much more.

She understood the way he had been torn between her and Kikyo, unable to see the differences between the two of them. After a certain amount of time and experiences, the line between them became so blurred that there was no telling where one ended and the other began. She understood that so much more than she had beforehand. All that she had been through with both the half demon and the detective had left her jaded and blind to the fact that others were different.

It made her appreciate the night she had spent with the avatar, simply talking and enjoying one another's company, all that much more.

* * *

Kurama kept his promise that day. After he had made certain that she'd eaten, he'd been rather persistent in it too, he had given her his jacket and walked her home. He would have had her home in under a minute, if she had not asked him to walk with her.

She hadn't wanted to give up his company so quickly.

So, she had done one of the only things she could think of. She stalled. She stalled like her life had depended on it. They walked side by side down the sidewalk, neither one daring to touch the other, and neither one of them dared to break the silence of the early morning hour. She walked slowly, purposefully keeping at a languid pace in an attempt to extend their time together.

It seemed to come to an end all too quickly, and Kagome almost frowned when the shrine came into her line of sight. She glanced up to the avatar through the fray of her bangs, vaguely unsettled by the sense of shyness that churned in the pit of her stomach.

They didn't say a word to each other as they turned their separate ways, but it was somehow implied that they would see each other again.

Neither one wanted to let go so easily but neither one of them would speak of it either.

So, for the time being, they didn't. It was implied. They understood where they stood with each other, if only for that fleeting moment. It was enough. It was enough that it somehow made everything okay.

Even if it was just for that instant, even if it was only the calm before the storm, there was a sense of peace for the both of them.

The greeting that she had gotten once Kurama had left would stay with Kagome for the rest of her life. Not for the first time, Inuyasha had screamed in her face for her brazen stunt. Also, not for the first time, she yelled right back into his face and rebutted each of his complaints with one of the many times he had done the same.

There was no one more brazen than Inuyasha.

It was the first time, however, that Shippo had ever yelled at her. Certainly, the fox had scolded her before, but he had never yelled at her with a sincere sense of anger before. It caught her off guard, though she supposed that it shouldn't have. In a sense, it had been selfish, what she'd done. She was his mother, adopted or not, and she could have very easily taken that away from him. The fear in his eyes, though he tried to display it as anger, had reminded her that he was the same fox she had taken in as a little kit even if he had grown. He was an adult, but he was the same person, and she was still his mother.

In the end, each one of them got to take a shot at her, and though it left her wanting to cry, she knew that she deserved it. Once they had finished with that, she had been just about ready to sink into a hot bath, eager for some time to herself and for some time to think, when the fox god showed his face. He had wrapped a hand around her forearm, and tugged her firmly to his chest before she could protest. She barely had the time to sputter an indignant protest before they were nestled in the branches of the Goshinboku.

It all came full circle to the Goshinboku, somehow. It always did.

He hushed her when she opened her mouth to question him, to demand what he thought he was doing, and she was confused by the stern behavior. It was something she would have expected from Sesshomaru, but not the overly playful fox god. So, perturbed by the out of character display, she sat there quietly and waited for him to speak.

She hadn't expected what he told her.

She hadn't expected him to tell her that she belonged to him, as _his _miko, and that the mark she wore was his. Initially, she had tried to protest, but settled down again when he explained the details involved. She represented him as a priestess, and the shrine became his territory, but she had her freedom. She flushed when he told her that she was still free to take a mate, and scrambled to declare such an idea as silly.

"_No human that isn't already involved could handle this lifestyle…and no demon could ever fully trust me."_

He had tried to rebut her statement, tried to remind her of the humans and demons that had worked together. It didn't work. She had laughed and proceeded to remind him of the way each of those stories ended. To further her point, she made a point in saying that each of the women involved had been human, but not priestesses, save for Kikyo.

Everyone knew how Kikyo's story ended.

"_I'm a miko remember? A woman born a priestess is meant to be alone…"_

There conversation went nowhere after that, and they remained in the branches of the god tree for the remainder of the day. When night fell the fox god shooed her off to her room with a demand that she went to bed. It made her feel very much like a child, but there was an odd sense of comfort in it. At least when she had been a child she hadn't held such grand responsibilities. She had been allowed to be carefree, to be innocent, and she vaguely missed it. All the same, she did as told and went to bed, eager for a good night's sleep. When the next morning had come she was glad that she had done so.

Inari woke her up a little after four in the morning, and so began the most horrific training regime that she had ever experienced in her life. Even Sesshomaru had never been so hard in his teachings. When questioned, the fox god reminded her that with his mark she had access to his power. She was strong, but no human had ever been able to wield the power of a god before. Those who had tried had either been killed or gone mad.

He trusted that his little priestess could handle it. She was _his_ and he believed in her and his decision to mark her as such. His faith in her did not take away from her need of training with the new power though.

It took three months just for the girl to grasp a shaky sense of control when he opened the floodgates and allowed his ki to fill her.

The first time it had happened she had nearly leveled the shrine, and it had only been his quick reflexes and expectation of such an event that kept it from happening. He had reined it in quickly enough, but it had been enough that the detectives had been there within minutes, drawn by the explosive power.

Inari couldn't help but to be amused when the avatar glared accusingly at him. Of course one of his kind would have recognized the taste of the energy in the air. He would have been disappointed otherwise. Amused, he had explained the situation to the lot of them, much to Kagome's chagrin, and he could have laughed at the expressions they'd worn. Certainly, they knew what entailed from his actions, but he truly did not care. They had no say in the matter, nor did their little prince.

The detective had yelled and tried to argue with him, but he had offered the boy no more than an amused grin and a mocking pat of the head as he told him things would be fine. The brat had tried to swing at him, but only succeeded in landing flat on his face by his feet. He reminded them of their place, and sent them on their way.

After that encounter the avatar dropped by every other day, occasionally accompanied by the hybrid, determined to make certain that the little priestess was still well. Inari was not blind to the growing affection between the two of them, and he allowed it. The silver fox wanted the girl, and the avatar made his little priestess happy. There was no real downside to a union between the two of them, so he watched as their relationship grew and the feelings began to fester.

It was simply a pity that the both of them were too afraid to do anything about it.

The time passed quickly through it all and with it went the summer. It was just turning fall once more. The leaves were changing colors on the trees and the air had the telltale chill of autumn as it danced over the earth. A total of nearly five months, from late May to mid-September, had gone by since the god had taken the priestess for his own and begun her training.

In all that time there had not even been a whisper of Naraku.

The spider had dropped completely off the radar and it worried him. It worried them all, Inari knew it, and for good reason. There was something to be said about fear for the unknown. There was a point to it. There was a reason for it. Things had simply been at a standstill, and the lack of activity left them all uneasy.

Kagome's brother had come a few weekends back to visit them, and to request his sister to help him with the spiritual energy that had been awakened in him. He had been there for almost three weeks, training just as hard as his sister. It was both amusing and vaguely endearing how much the boy looked up to his older sibling. At the least, if the boy had to choose a role model he had made a good choice in the priestess. He had never seen a human so devoted in all his time. Certainly, there had been many who had been devoted to gaining power, but only for the sake of power. He had never seen a human possess such devotion without a selfish motive.

It was that line of thought that brought Inari to the conclusion that the girl's altruism would get her in trouble some day. Truly, it already had, many times. It was simply one of her charms.

They were taking a break, it was around two in the afternoon, and Kagome was with Souta, chatting animatedly about the things their grandfather had done in the years gone by. It was nice to have her brother around, and she hadn't realized just how much she had missed him until he had shown up on their doorstep that day, demanding that she help him and accusing her of infecting him with her 'mikoness' as he'd called it. It had made her laugh, though she supposed that she should have expected it. He had seen through Shippo's illusion the day he had woken up, and they had known then that he had possessed such energy. They had always known, on some level, that he would have need of the training necessary to control it. That in mind, she hadn't been able to keep herself from laughing when he'd told her about the first time he had tapped into it. Once she'd recovered, she had promptly sent her mother a check from the resources Sesshomaru had kept for them –it hadn't made a dent in the overall funds- to repair their demolished kitchen. Apparently, her dear little brother had inadvertently attempted to purify the oven.

So as they sat beneath the Goshinboku, reminiscing on such things, neither one of them noticed until it was too late. No one had noticed the human until he was right there, the priestess grasped firmly by her throat in his hand.

Kagome had seen him before. She had seen him when Hakudoshi had first shown himself and she had seen him when they had first traveled into the Makai to make an attempt at Naraku. She didn't know who he was, but she had seen him and she knew his situation. She knew it was not his intention, that it was not of his will that he attacked them, and as he tried to burn her with his spiritual energy, she told him so. She told him that it was okay, and offered him her open palm in a gesture of peace, in an offer of help. She had wanted to help him since she had seen that Naraku had gotten him in his grasp. Truly, she wanted to help anyone that Naraku had taken a hold of, but it was different with the man in front of her.

He was like Kohaku.

She could see it in his eyes. He knew what was happening, he knew what he was doing, but he was helpless to stop it. He was very much aware of every little thing that was going on and he could do no more than watch the evils done by his hands as the spider tugged the puppet strings.

Spots began to dance along her vision as his grip tightened, though she knew he would not kill her. He would render her unconscious and drag her off to Naraku. Naraku wanted her alive, and needed her alive to serve his goals. He wouldn't offer her the peace of death. He killed only those who were useless to him. She heard it as the lot of them rushed to her, only a few seconds having gone by, and pushed against his energy with her own. Perhaps she could force Naraku's hold back. Perhaps she could purge the demon from the man and free him of the spider's grasp. She didn't get the chance.

"Get away from my sister!"

Souta came barreling at the man full force, his fist pulled back ready to strike him across the face. Kagome held her breath, what little she had left, at the sight of her little brother. His eyes were rimmed with a pale shade of violet and nearly glowed with the display of energy. His energy lashed out around him, coated him in a second skin, and she fell to the ground as the impact of their collision earned her freedom.

"S-Souta…" Tenderly, she rubbed at her abused throat, but was quick to scurry to her feet as the man turned his attention to her brother. "No. Listen to me. Focus on _me._"

The sharp command drew the man's attention, and she softened slightly, even as she held his gaze firmly with her own. She approached him, gently cupped her hands to the side of his face, and called her own energy to the surface. "It's okay…I'll make it better. I won't let him use you."

The others were thrown back by the clash of their energy, as she sought to purge the spider's influence. With her eyes closed, focused solely on her task of breaking the demon's control, she did not see the detectives approach. She felt the man in front of her as he trembled beneath her fingers, shaken by the war that had turned so fierce within him. She knew what it felt like. She understood the pain. Hakudoshi had tried to control her once. Naraku had tried to control her many times. There was a very long list of those who had tried to control her, or any of their pack for that matter. The point was, that she had been there. They all had.

Suddenly, it was dark, and she stood there face to face with the piece of the spider that had clung to the soul she was so desperately trying to recover. There was no exchange between the two of them; there were no insults or threats given, because they both knew why they were there. There was no need for words and neither had the energy to spare for such pleasantries.

She gave him only the acknowledgement of the narrowing of her eyes before she pushed him out. It happened in a burst of light and a frightening screech to the ones who could only watch, and though it had seemed like such a long time, it all happened in a matter of seconds. The spider was driven out and the priestess sunk to her knees, the larger human tucked safely in her arms as she brought him down with her. Mumbles of comfort were given, though she knew he could not hear her, but it was more for her sake than his. She had brought him back, though she knew that the stain left by Naraku would remain with him forever. Naraku left a stain on anyone he touched. It was up to them whether or not such a thing controlled them.

With her eyes closed, Kagome stroked the man's hair gently, and she did not see it as Yusuke hesitantly approached her. She did, however, hear the crack in his voice as he spoke, and she turned to him.

"K-Kazuma?"

* * *

**A/N: So…yeah, who hates me? Or do you guys actually enjoy the way I torment you and actually love me instead? No skin off my nose either way, but as you can tell this chapter wasn't overly romantic. But hey, I just broke up with my bf so I'm in more of a mood for angst, and this is a drama isn't it?**

**Well enough rationalizing. Tell me what you think! You know I love hearing from you guys and I'm sorry I made you wait so long for an update. My beta finally harassed me into getting this chapter done, so give her some love guys!**

**Today's Dedication: Don't know who you are, but this goes out to whoever nominated Arachnophobia for best drama! Thanks!**

**Today's Rant: Lemons**

**Yes, lemons. I had to discuss this eventually. Now I have nothing against lemons, but for those of you who **_**do **_**write them ****might I suggest that you do not have your characters screwing every few paragraphs? Save that for the PWP and smut fics. Really, it just kind of takes away from the story. So many people just have characters jump into bed with each other, which in itself is not bad, per say, but please, have a logical reason for your characters to do so. This just goes in hand with my previous rant about 'Out of Character' or OOCness. Refer to that for further details.**


	25. Explanation

**A/N: -Gaaaasp- Could it be? **_**Another **_**update already? Ha! Wasn't expecting this did ya? After the last few months I owed it to you guys anyway. I couldn't leave you waiting that long for a cliffhanger **_**again.**_

**Well, tomorrow is my birthday, so I wanted to give **_**you guys**_** a present. Love you all!**

**This chapter has not yet been reviewed by a beta.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Unless I get it for my birthday, I don't own either of these series.**

* * *

Naraku was angry. Naraku was pissed. Naraku wanted to see blood spilt. Truly, that was not anything out of the ordinary, but someone was going to _die._ He had avoided detection for the last several months and the filthy little human had put it all in jeopardy.

Most of all, Naraku was frightened.

He had never told the human to go after the priestess. The oaf had done it on his own. He had defied him and, for that, he would pay. One Kazuma, Kuwabara was going to die.

It had been a chore to manipulate the man too. The fool was just as resilient as his little priestess had been, and it had forced his hand into more complicated methods. He had only done it one other time, when he had placed a bit of himself within the slayer so that he could return once the half-breed and his pack had thought him dead. It had all been done in vain, as he had never been able to absorb the woman, Kaguya, as he'd planned. It was something else he had to pay the little priestess back for.

It had taken the effort of inserting a piece of himself into the human to gain a shred of control over him. Honestly, he had failed in that effort, he'd never been able to grasp a firm control of the man's soul. However, he had been able to force his own within the human body, and his presence had been enough, initially, that he had been able to force the human soul into dormancy.

He hadn't felt the man wake up.

He had realized too late that his little puppet had gone to the priestess, and he hadn't been able to stop it as the woman forced him out. He had been forced to retreat, though he would never admit to such a thing, because she had damn near purified him entirely. She would never know. None of them would ever know just how close she'd come. His very being still burned because of her light.

It hadn't just been _her _light either.

She had understood what he'd done, if only because she had seen it before with the little slayer. She had fed the human her own pure energy, and in doing so she had revitalized him enough to put up a fight. His soul had only just reawakened within him so it hadn't put forth as much force as the priestess, but it had been enough to force his retreat. The little wench was too smart for her own good, but it only offered that much more of a thrill to their little game. It would make it that much more enjoyable to break her down.

* * *

The chaos that ensued as the two collapsed was enough to make him want to pull his hair out, but Inari retained a calm demeanor all the same. A sigh tore through his lips as he pinched the bridge of his nose and watched the scene.

Yusuke had begun yelling at Kagome for an explanation, and alternated between doing that and yelling at his fallen friend, Kuwabara, to wake up. In turn, Inuyasha had begun yelling at the detective not to yell at Kagome, and when Yusuke turned to yell back at him it nearly got physical.

He watched for a moment longer as Shippo joined in the fray, noted the way that the slayer and the hybrid exchanged wary glares, and decided that he'd reached his limit.

"Enough!" Had they not tried his patience so much already, he might have been amused by the way the lot of them jumped to attention. He looked them over once, and with a derisive snort, plucked the weary priestess from the ground. She mumbled a string of disoriented, unrelated words as he tucked her to his chest and he shot the rest of them a firm stare. "Inside. Gather the human."

He was glad that they knew enough not to argue.

* * *

With the unconscious pair tucked safely in the living room, Inari led the rest of them to the kitchen. There was a long moment of silence before anyone dared to break it, though each and every one of them knew that there was much to be spoken of.

"What the fuck happened out there? What happened to Kuwabara? What did Kagome do to him?"

A combination of a glare from the red fox, and a stern look from Inari silenced the detective's accusatory tone. It was understandable, he supposed, but his little priestess would not be accused of anything so horrid when she had already given so much. He would not allow it. For the sake of diplomacy, he did not outright threaten the boy. Instead, he explained what he believed to have happened. He explained what Naraku had done, ignored the expected outbursts, and filled in the fine details once it was quiet once more.

"So… you're telling me… that demented fuck shoved a part of _his _soul inside of Kuwabara…and just put him to sleep inside his own body?"

Inari raised an eyebrow at the boy, but shrugged all the same, nonplussed by the pulsating anger that radiated off of him. "In layman's terms, yes."

"I'll kill 'im."

At the detective's declaration, Inuyasha snorted and set his arms firmly over his chest. The little prick that had hurt Kagome didn't have as much of a right to the spider as any of his pack did. "Fuck no, Naraku's _my _kill."

Just like that, they were at it again, and Inari snorted at the sight. If the fools wanted to kill each other that was fine with him. The both of them had caused his little priestess a great deal of suffering, and it was no skin off his nose if they tore each other apart. The squabble was only broken apart when the detective's pocket began to ring, and the boy flipped the device responsible for the noise open with a snarl.

"What, toddler!" Yusuke strode into the hallway for a minute, exchanged a few words with the little prince, reported what had happened, and nearly had a fit at the reply he got. His gaze drifted to the unconscious pair just through the archway of the designated living room, and he softened for a moment. "Yeah…sure, I'll tell them."

He flipped the compact shut with a click, ignored the demi-god's voice as he yelled for him not to hang up on him, and stood there for a moment longer. She had saved his best friend. She had probably not even known it, but she had saved the best friend he had ever had. It only served to make him feel guilty to know such a thing, to have nearly accused her of harming the man, and to have walked away from her as he had.

It had been the worst decision of his life.

So, it was with a despondent sigh that he turned and trudged back into the kitchen to rejoin the others. A light chatter, a discussion of strategy had broken out amongst them, and he watched them for a moment as he pondered the orders he'd been given. When they noticed his return it went silent, and he frowned lightly. It was just as well. It involved all of them so they needed to know. "Koenma wants us to stay here…until this Naraku is taken care of."

"Oh that'll go over well…this'll be more of a war zone than the feudal era." Shippo snorted as he set his arms over his chest, and looked over the lot of them. The hybrid and Sango had not stopped eyeing each other skeptically since the lot of them had shown up, the avatar and the fox within him held Inuyasha's contempt for his interest in the priestess, and Yusuke had dug his own grave when he'd discovered the woman's secret.

Inuyasha was more vocal in his displeasure of such an arrangement, though Shippo could not say that he disagreed with the half demon.

"Fuck no, they ain't staying here!"

"I agree with the mutt for once."

"Don't start ya flea-ridden wolf!"

"Fine." The loud argument that resulted was broken with that single word, and all eyes turned to the fox god who had spoken. Inuyasha opened and shut his mouth, flabbergasted by the declaration, the hybrid eyed him warily, the wolf prince growled his irritation, and the slayer leaned back against the counter with a disgruntled huff. The avatar, the red fox and, strangely, the detective were the only ones that did not seem dissatisfied over the arrangement. "'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'. Remember that, simpletons."

He shrugged casually at their silence, and turned on his heel to leave and tend to his priestess. Inari softened at the sight of her, and a wry grin touched his lips as he sunk down to sit beside the unconscious woman. Gently, he trailed a finger over the side of her face, and hummed pleasantly at the softness of her skin. "Silly little thing…"

He gave her an affectionate pat on the cheek before he shifted his attention to the human she had helped to save. He hummed thoughtfully as he searched the man over, as he made to determine that he'd been purged of the intrusive soul of the spider. He had to be certain that Naraku had been driven out completely.

So it was that intention that found him within the human's mind, face to face with the man's spirit. They stared at each other silently for a moment, and it was the human to speak first.

"I didn't mean to! I-I didn't want to!"

"I know." Inari knew very well what had happened, and he could not fault the human for anything that had occurred. He was a benevolent god when it was suitable for him. He could respect that the human had shown enough willpower to seek out the priestess, to push through such domination to reclaim what was his. So many other souls exposed to such conditions would have simply withered away to nonexistence.

The human had merit, even if it was only sheer strength of will.

It was a stark similarity to his little priestess, and a trait that Inari respected. Neither physical strength nor magical prowess could stand up to such willpower that the two of them possessed. Even if it took time and effort, neither one of them would ever be subdued for long. Neither one of them would ever be entirely controlled. It was one thing to possess a body, but it was another to attempt possession of a soul. It was something that Naraku had failed in with the both of them.

When the human opened his mouth, Inari cut him off, well aware of what he'd been about to say. "You do not need to redeem yourself. You've done that already. Rest, ningen. You've much to recover from."

With that, he left the human with peace of mind, and allowed the weary soul to rest. He would need the energy. They had much to do.

* * *

If Kagome had thought that the shrine had been crowded with only the members of her pack, she had been sorely wrong. Seven people had been only a handful when compared to the lot that had been so hastily moved in. She had slept through that night, and well into the afternoon of the next day.

At first, she hadn't remembered what had happened and had nearly thrown a lamp at Hiei when the hybrid had walked into the room. Her assault with the appliance had been halted only by the fact that Kurama had plucked it out of her hands after he'd snuck up behind her. Calmer, but still wary, she defiantly stuck her tongue out at the hybrid when he glared at her.

She slid it right back into her mouth when he offered to cut it off.

The fox god was the one to explain the situation, and truthfully, it was only because Inari had promised that it would be okay that she did not protest. She believed him, though any legend related to the god indicated that she should have done otherwise, and she trusted him that it would be okay.

It was awkward. The group that they made up with the new additions was so awkward she no longer felt as if she had missed out on her school years. It truly was like an awkward first day of high school. It wasn't nerve wracking and unsettling as her first trip through the well had been. It was just awkward.

She was drawn from her musings as a pair of hands covered her eyes from behind, and the priestess squeaked in surprise.

"Guess who?"

Instantly, a flush of red colored her cheeks and she almost stuttered. She hadn't seen him since they'd been locked away in Mount Hakurei, but she could remember all that had happened between them. She could remember what he'd said to her.

_"I want for nothing. Nothing, but you, that is, Koneko-chan."_

His words had stayed with her, though neither she nor Kurama ever spoken of it. The time that they spent together had become precious to her, and she did not want to ruin it by questioning what exactly they were. They had nearly kissed several times in the months that had gone by, and each time had ended as unsatisfactorily as the last. Whether it was her or him, one of them always turned away at the last second, unable to go through with it and afraid of taking such a step forward.

Youko, however, was not afraid and he was tired of his avatar's trepidation when it came to their priestess. He had spelled out for the girl what his, rather _their_, intentions were, and neither of the little fools had acted on it. The game of cat and mouse was entertaining, but it had grown old and unproductive.

As it stood, his little priestess was stuck with them, whether she liked it or not.

His hands drifted from her eyes to wrap around her front and secured her to his chest as he pondered the matter. Her voice flitted across his ears and the fox immediately turned his attention back to his little female. He could have smacked the girl –upside the head of course, or perhaps across the ass- when she questioned him.

"I…I know you said that you…wanted me. But…but does Kurama-?" He didn't even let her finish.

"The little fool wants you as much as I do, Koneko-chan…unlike him, I am not afraid to say so." He inhaled the scent of her hair as he buried his nose in the dark locks, amused by the heat that radiated off of her. She stuttered, baffled once more by what he'd said, and he hummed quietly as he held her to his chest.

She remained red in the face for the rest of the time they spent together that night, but Youko could not have said that he minded. It gave him ample reason to tease the little female, after all. So he was glad when she opted, not to run away but to remain firmly tucked within his arms, red-faced or not. Granted, it wasn't as if he would have given her much of a choice either.

She had spent time with his avatar, shared histories with his avatar, and grown exceptionally close to his avatar. It was _his _turn. He had shown more patience than he had ever cared to exude in his life, and it had all been for her.

More often than not, he had taken over their shared body to watch her, to study her. He had known since he'd laid eyes on her that she was something more than just another human. She had intrigued him. She had piqued his interest. It had made him want to know everything about her. She was an enigma, and he was a fox. So, he'd decided back then on one thing.

She was _his _puzzle to solve.

He had watched from the sidelines as she indulged and fell so deeply into a relationship with the detective, and if it hadn't been for their friendship and the things they'd been through, he might have killed the man. She had always had that knowing look in her eyes when she was around any of them. He should have known then. He should have understood why their blood burned when she was near. He should have understood why his very being shuddered with excitement in her presence.

That she had turned out to be a priestess only heightened the thrill of it all. It only made him want her more. There was something to be said for pleasure laced with danger. It only made it that much more exhilarating.

To find out that she had taken on a kit, a child of his own kind, stirred a primal appreciation within him that made him want her even more. When such had come to light he'd possessed only one thought of the woman.

She would make a fine mother. She already was.

It was just as well that Yusuke had turned her away. The detective's mistake left her free to his advances, not that he would have been deterred either way. He _wanted _her. If there was anything to have been said of him, it was that Youko Kurama got what he wanted.

He wanted the priestess.

It wasn't that she possessed the Shikon no Tama; truly, he scoffed at the idea of the little bauble. False power left a foul taste in his mouth, and he had little care for those who sought to attain such things. It was_ her._ He had never seen a woman like her, for all the females he had ever partaken in, and the number was a great one. He had never encountered a woman so brazen and defiant as the little priestess. He had never encountered anyone quite as unconventional as she was.

She was a priestess, who sought the friendship of demons. She was a woman, who stood beside such beings as an equal. She was a woman who did not allow others to dominate her, despite any gap in power or expectations of her role in society. She was a human who shattered every social norm that existed between their races.

Humans feared demons. Humans hated demons. Humans disgusted demons. Humans provided entertainment for demons. Priestesses destroyed demons. Priestesses reviled demons.

She didn't.

She stood her ground to demons. She befriended demons. She accepted demons. She provided a safe haven for demons. She fought beside demons. She _loved_ demons.

She had taken in a kit as her son. She had loved and accepted a half demon. Nothing, sans for a deep-rooted friendship between the two, had come of it –for which he was quite glad- but the magnitude of what she'd done was not lessened by that fact. She had tamed the fearsome western lord, and been made the alpha female to his pack. She had tamed the wolf prince, known even in his time for his distaste of humans. She allowed the dead to live, at her own expense. She gave everything she had and all that she didn't on the premise that others would be happy.

It made him wonder if she did _anything _for herself, even if he already knew the answer.

It was the sound of her even breathing that drew him from his musings and with a dry grin, Youko noted that they had spent the remainder of the day in the branches of the god tree. She remained asleep as he slipped her off to her room and hummed thoughtfully as he toyed with her hair.

So he tucked her into bed that night, and climbed right in beside her.

Perhaps it was because he'd wanted to see her reaction, or perhaps it was because he wanted to see how the _others _would react, but in the end the reasoning was a moot point. He didn't truly care. It didn't matter, even as his other half scolded him from the back of their shared mind.

He simply remained there, content beneath the covers with the little priestess curled up to his chest.

* * *

**A/N: Um…yeah, not much to say here. I just really, **_**really**_** wanted to update. Good thing for you guys, huh? Well, maybe it's because I took forever to post that last chapter, or maybe its because I'm back in school now, or maybe its because my birthday is tomorrow and I'm hyper as all hell, but yeah, moot point, so hope you all enjoyed!**

**Today's Dedication: Two people!**

**Goth_Lolita – your excitement over calling what happened last chapter just made me laugh. Your reviews always make my day though, so no surprise there.**

**Koi_no_yami – thanks for pointing out that little error. I still want to punt MSWord out the window though.**

**Today's Rant: Overly poetic/flowery**

**I get why people do it. Really, I do. I used to do it too. But ya know…there's a limit to how much of a 'poetic' description you can use in your writing. Saying someone has 'sparkling emerald (or whatever gem) orbs' is okay…the first few times. Can people really not just say 'pretty green eyes'? It might just be me but it sounds more realistic and just…nicer, to me.**

_**She stood there staring at him with those sparkling emerald orbs and he all but melted.**_

_**OR**_

_**She stood there staring at him with those pretty green eyes, and he all but melted.**_

**Descriptions don't need to be so flowery and poetic. Sometimes plain and simple goes a lot further. Again, it might just be me, so take it with a grain of salt.**

**Love you guys!**

**~Cherry**


	26. Exoneration

**A/N: Hey all! So… I had planned to have this out way sooner than this. I had wanted to get it out by Halloween…but sadly, it seems that didn't happen because my laptop decided to freak out and erase the original chapter and then a ton of shit went down in my life. This would have been out quite a few weeks ago if I hadn't needed to rewrite it; I didn't have the motivation for it the second time, I'm afraid. I'd been **_**dying **_**to write this chapter, because school had been keeping me very busy and I just found a job so they're keeping me pretty busy too! Don't worry- I still love you guys!**

**This chapter has only been partially reviewed by a beta.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: I didn't get it for my birthday, so I don't own anything but my samurai outfit (Halloween was fun!) and my dear Ryu no Warai, meaning my katana. Yes, I named my sword. Got a problem with that?**

* * *

It was around five in the morning. The birds of the early morning were chirping, rather loudly at that, and Sango had not slept a single minute that night. For all the time that she had spent in the company of Inuyasha, Shippo, and her dear Kirara, she could still not force herself to sleep in the presence of so many demons. It was unsurprising, as a born and bred slayer. She wasn't a priestess, but even those without spiritual gifts like Kagome's or Miroku's, could feel the thick amount of demonic energy that laced the air. It was so thick in the air that it made her skin crawl, no matter how accustomed to it she had grown. The instinct that she was a human, a female slayer, surrounded and outnumbered by demons, left her unsettled and wide-awake throughout the entirety of the night.

So, finally fed up with the restlessness, she found herself in the kitchen, in the midst of beginning the preparations for breakfast. She wasn't as good of a cook as Kagome was, even if Inuyasha would debate such a statement, but the preparation of food was a part of survival. If nothing else, she was a survivor. If somebody had asked her why she had not fallen to her usual stress-reliever of training her skills though, she could have only offered one simple answer; she wasn't selfish. She saw how much current events had worn on her dear sister figure. Kagome, though the priestess wore an impeccable mask, was weighed on the most heavily in all that had happened. She could at least, take on the simple task of meal preparation, which the priestess had done nearly every day since their arrival in the modern era, and allow her dear sister time to sit down and breathe.

She did it because she loved Kagome, and they were family.

So when the girl in question screamed a loud "Kya!", the egg that she had been about to crack flew out of her hand, and she did not pay attention to where it had landed as she ran from the room, her hand on the hilt of her blade. She skidded to a stop at the bottom of the stairs as the priestess stumbled down, nearly fell on her face in doing so, and ducked behind Inuyasha, who had come running –though that came of as no surprise– at the commotion. Confused, Sango looked back and forth between the red-faced priestess and the redheaded avatar as the man waved his hands defensively, in an obvious attempt to placate the girl over whatever had happened.

"You…you…_hentai!_"

The memories that the priestess's shout unearthed stung, as Sango could not help but to think of the monk. Even if nothing had ever amounted between them, he had been a companion and a dear friend to all of them. It hurt to think of him because all she could remember in that instant was that they had lost him, even if there was a chance to get him back.

He would never be the same. Those who were touched by Naraku never went unchanged.

When her mind wandered to her fallen brother she immediately jerked away from that downward spiral of thinking to look back at the scene just as Inuyasha grabbed the other man by the collar of his shirt.

"What did you think you were doing, huh fox?" The calm, even tone of his voice surprised even him, and Inuyasha absently thought that it suited his brother rather than him. He had been around the bastard for too long. The damn demon lord affected him even when he was no longer around. He followed the path of the man's gaze, as the avatar looked slowly from his clawed hand and calmly up to his face. The glint of gold that tinted the man's eyes did not go unnoticed. His own were probably tinted crimson as it was, since he could feel the burn of his blood as his demon snarled inwardly, angered with the presumptuousness of the fox.

The man's interest in the priestess had not gone over his head, much as anyone would like to believe that he was just so oblivious. He knew each and every little thing that went on with Kagome. He rarely spoke of it, he wasn't so good with words or diplomacy of any sort, but he was aware of it. The only thing he had ever been oblivious to when it came to her had been the depth of the way that she had felt for him. He had paid for it then, and he had vowed to never make that mistake again, even if he had missed multiple chances in his blindness.

"Now, Inuyasha-_san_, there is no reason for us to fight…" Said half-demon narrowed his eyes at the patronizing tone of the fox, but did not interrupt the man as quickly as he once might have. He watched as the man's gaze slid to the priestess, who was still red-faced but no longer frantic, and growled low in his chest, a sound imperceptible to human ears. "Forgive me, Koneko-chan…your company was _far_ too relaxing."

The words came directly from the fox, Inuyasha had learned enough to know the difference between the avatar and the spirit that he housed, and he did not miss the smugness that the man presented as he spoke to the girl. He watched silently as the priestess lowered her gaze, red in the face all over again at the implications of the compliment, and followed her as she padded to the stairs, all the while grumbling about taking a bath.

All was still until the girl vanished through the bathroom door, and then the fox calmly pried his hand from his shirt. Inuyasha let him, though not placidly. "Do that again fox… I don't care if you're courting her. I'll fucking kill you."

"Now, Inuyasha…does protection of your pack not fall to the _alpha_?"

The avatar disappeared outside before Inuyasha could so much as snarl at the implication. It didn't matter that he had not taken his brother's position as alpha, even if it should have fallen to him through lineage, because protecting Kagome had always been his duty. The red fox might have denied it, might have taken responsibility for the girl's protection unto himself, but he would always protect her. He had only ever failed at protecting her from one person; he had only ever failed at protecting her from himself.

"Inuyasha…"

He looked to the red fox as the boy turned to him, a gentler expression on his face than he had seen in years. Usually, the boy was only ever so soft when he was looking at Kagome. Only his mother, or Sango at times, ever received such care. It was unnerving, and made him raise a brow at the demon. "What, runt?"

"I know what I've said to you…and I still stand by it…but I'm not going to tell you not to protect her…" The fox snorted, and crossed his arms over his chest in a similar gesture to the way that he always had. "You fight like shit when you're not protecting Kagome anyway…"

"Say that again, runt. I'll show you shitty fighting." It was rash and crude, but there was no malice between either one of them.

Amused, the fox god listened from his perch in the Goshinboku. They were maturing, though barely, especially for the half demon to restrain from defaulting to fisticuffs as he had. It was an improvement, though he understood well what the common denominator was.

He feared what would become of them if his little priestess were ever lost.

It was only for her sake, only thanks to the touch of her light, that they had grown as they had. One way or another, for one reason or another, each one of them had grown for her. Meanwhile, Inari shook his head at the lot of them as he wiped the remains of egg yolk from his hair.

* * *

It was around two in the afternoon that Kagome found herself nestled in the top branches of the Goshinboku, with her legs tucked to her chest and her chin settled atop her knees. It was still winter, so it was cold out, but the chilled air felt nice as it brushed against her flushed skin. For all his efforts, she had succeeded in evading the avatar since the embarrassing spectacle that morning.

The thought only made her flush worsen.

She buried her face in her hands with a groan as it all came back to the forefront of her mind once more. She had wanted to forget. It was mostly her own fault. He hadn't actually done anything particularly wrong, though she could not have said the same thing about the fox that resided within him with any real confidence.

Eventually, she mustered the courage to peak down at the courtyard and hummed thoughtfully as she simply watched.

Inuyasha and Shippo had been spending an odd amount of time together since that morning, but she knew the reason. Despite all the squabbles and the little bit of resentment that the two had held between them they were still pack mates. They were still family. The threat of the same danger from all those years prior, the chance that each day could very well be their last, had pushed them to put such pettiness aside.

They had finally forgiven each other. They had finally forgiven _themselves_.

It was three o'clock when she finally relinquished her sanctuary in the god tree to work her way back to the ground. She crinkled her nose when her feet touched the cobblestone, and rotated her shoulder with a quiet grumble. Her muscles ached as if she had been tossed around the shrine, though nothing of the sort had happened. At least, she supposed, it hadn't happened that recently. She knew what it was. Her body had grown too accustomed to the harsh drilling that her alpha and the fox god had enforced on her. It had only been a day, barely, and her muscles already ached from going unused. A wry grin touched her lips as she shook her head.

It still wasn't good enough.

Her weakness had still lost her too much. Too many people had been sacrificed to keep her safe, and it terrified her that the avatar had forced himself to be so absolutely close. She should have learned with Inuyasha. She should have learned with Yusuke.

She had only learned one thing; she was a sucker for punishment.

She stayed there, at the base of the Goshinboku, with her head hung, until someone was kind enough to distract her. When the man awkwardly cleared his throat, she spun around to look at him with a blink. "Kuwabara-san?"

"Um…I wanted…that is…" He shuffled his feet, transparently anxious. "I'm sorry! I-I never wanted to! I didn't realize, I-"

He went cross-eyed for a moment as she pressed her index finger to his lips, a gentle look on her face. A smile curled at her lips when he blushed at the contact. When she was certain that he was okay, that his focus was on her, she lowered her hand back to her side.

"It's okay…" When he opened his mouth, presumably to protest and start on a ramble of an apology again, she hurried on. "It's happened to me before too."

It ashamed her to admit it, and she lowered her gaze to her feet for a moment to watch as she scuffed the toe of her shoe against the stone. It had happened back in the feudal era, when Hakudoshi had only been Akago, and Naraku had only held a fraction of the techniques that he possessed in their era. It was only a testament to her own weakness, but she owed him her humility if nothing else. He had only been used as such because of her enemy.

The only thing that could have been said in her defense was that he had possessed most of the Shikon during those times. Even then, it still wasn't a good enough excuse for her. She was supposed to keep the jewel pure. Her touch was supposed to purge the jewel of all taint. It was pitiful that the same thing that she was supposed to be the guardian of had manipulated her. Even if it had only lasted for a few minutes, it was still pitiful. It still only proved her weakness.

"Back then he didn't have the same…" She paused to consider an appropriate word. "He didn't have the same methods as he does now…and I still fell under his hold. It was only for a few minutes…but his only means of control was to latch onto the darkness in my soul…and I knew what he was doing. He never gave you that chance."

No one could have expected him to fight Naraku's grasp. The spider had completely blindsided him with his possession and had likely forced his soul into dormancy before he had even had the chance to realize that something was happening. The fact that he had reclaimed awareness, that he had fought the spider's control and nearly broken it of his own will was only a testament to his own merit.

Silence stretched out between them, and for a few minutes the only sound was the slight stir of the wind and the awkward scuff of the priestess's shoe against the cobble. Then, he cleared his throat again and she looked up at him. "Yes?"

"I'm still sorry."

"I know…" She did not miss the look of surprise that crossed his face as she reached out to take his hand in her own, but only smiled at him. "Friends?"

When he grinned back at her, she could not help the sense of relief that the expression stirred. Naraku had not damaged him as much as she had feared and she could not help the fleeting sense of joy when he grasped her hand in return and mumbled awkwardly once more.

"Yeah…friends."

* * *

**A/N: So I totally owe you guys an explanation. I'm seriously really sorry. I wanted this out much sooner and I know it's shorter than usual, but shit went down and fanfiction just had to get pushed to the back burner for awhile. It still isn't going to be my main focus, but I **_**will**_** try to update more frequently. For now, I'm afraid you're going to have to put up with a tiny bit of a filler.**

**Today's Dedication: Everyone**

**I love you all, and you totally deserve it for putting up with me and my lack of updates these last few months.**

**So! As a way of saying thank you for being so awesome…I made a trailer for Arachnophobia. Take a peak on YouTube if you're interested; the link is on my profile.**

**Today's Rant: Dialogue mishaps**

**It makes me cringe when I see people describe actions in the middle of a character's dialogue, **_**using**_** the dialogue. It just…gahh…it drives me nuts!**

"**It's not…cough cough… your fault."**

**Is the character actually saying 'cough cough' in the middle of their sentence? Nope! They're coughing! I get it, it's a sound that they make with their mouths, but it does not count as dialogue.**

"**It's not…" She paused to cough, "…your fault."**

**See the difference? Now, which one looks better? Which one sounds normal?**

**Love you guys!**

**~Cherry**


	27. Apprehension

**A/N: Yep! I'm alive! Amazing huh? I know it has been absolutely forever, and I suck for that. However, real life just got in the way for a hell of a long time and I kind of **_**needed**_** to drop off the face of the writing world and focus for a bit. Then, I found that I have just been **_**dying**_** to write lately. So enough of my babbling- go and enjoy the story!**

…**and try to find it in your hearts to forgive me for being such a bad author.**

**This chapter has not yet been reviewed by a beta.**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama- and what story is complete without a bit of action in there somewhere?**

**Rating: M**

**Disclaimer: Yep! I totally own two awesome animes and work two jobs just for fun- cause that makes sense huh?**

* * *

It was a nice quiet day. The weather was temperate and clear and altogether the stereotypical perfect spring day. It wasn't eerily still, but simply calm. There was a sense of peace in the air that most of them had forgotten could even exist. Kagome, for the life of her, could not help but to enjoy it. As she stepped out into the courtyard to bask in the light that filtered through the leafage of the Goshinboku she could not help the grin that twisted her lips.

She felt like a kid again.

As she stood there before the god tree she could only wonder at the odd sense of childish glee that welled up in the pit of her stomach. She hadn't felt such a thing since her fifteenth birthday.

Inuyasha would have called her stupid for it and she probably was.

They were in no less danger than they had been a month or even a week prior. Nothing had really changed about their situation. They hadn't heard a whisper of Naraku, or Hakudoshi for that matter, in quite some time. It should have frightened her that they had stayed under the radar for so long. It should have worried her that they still had Miroku. It should have terrified her that her alpha had not stridden from the darkness to declare his loss a trick. It wasn't that she didn't realize this. She understood just as well as, if not better than, any of them. Still, she could not help the sense of peace and strange happiness that warmed her body.

Perhaps it should have made her suspicious, but it had been such a long time since any of them had truly been happy that she didn't want to let it slip through her fingers so easily.

She was selfish in that aspect.

"Boo!"

It was a testament to how foolishly far her guard had dropped, that she leapt into the air with a shriek. When she spun around she was met with the sight of one very amused Kazuma Kuwabara as the large man laughed at her expense. Of course, even as she scrunched her face up in annoyance, she couldn't blame him for it. It took much effort to maintain her irritated look, because the corners of her lips just itched to quirk upwards.

They'd become fast friends in the time since his rescue.

Eventually, it became too much to stand, and Kagome doubled over in a fit of giggles. Once, if it had been Inuyasha, she might have sat him for startling her like that. She had been a flighty, naïve little teenager back then. After all that had happened, after how much she had seen and lived through, after the extent that they'd all grown, she had learned to laugh at petty things and appreciate the humor in the little things. So, still giggling, she only slapped the man in the chest and shook her head at him.

"Good to see you're well enough to mess with me."

"Yeah, well…" He paused to chortle at the look of her for a moment. "It's your own fault for spacing out, anyway."

"Oh, hush." She gave him one final whack on the chest and turned her back to him with a dramatic huff. The smile on her face never faded, but he couldn't see that. "See if I let you lick the bowl again, next time I make cookies!"

"Wha-hey! You promised!"

His dismayed shouts made her grin widen and she quickened her pace. It wouldn't do for him to see the broad smile on her face, even though he should have known that she was teasing. Soon, he was chasing her clear across the courtyard, and she was feeling like an excited child all over again.

That rush of happiness faded when the sky suddenly went dark.

It was gradual and appeared to be no more than the grey clouds of a thunderstorm, but Kagome knew better. Every hair on her body suddenly stood up at attention as little prickles of sensation crawled along her skin. She hadn't felt it until it was right on top of them and once her attention had fallen to it, she forgot completely about the carrot-top that had been chasing her. Thankfully, he seemed to have noticed it as well, as was proven by the subtle manner in which he began to build his energy. His spiritual power, while it did not possess purification in the way that hers did, was pure in its own right and the feel of it offered her a sense of comfort.

Though the sky cracked with thunder and lightning they both knew it was not a stroke of bad weather that they faced.

The barrier around the shrine crackled viciously and shimmered for a moment. Then it faded and Kagome had to feel for it to be sure that it was still there. It was substantially weaker without Miroku, though its strength had grown back a minute amount once Kuwabara had joined them. It wasn't enough, and it left a foul taste in her mouth.

Hiding behind barriers was what Naraku did. The irony in it was appalling.

Her head swam for a moment and it took a bit of concentration to clear the sudden haze. Her eyes burned and her throat constricted. Beside her, Kuwabara suddenly fell to his knees in a violent coughing fit. "Miasma…"

The dark mist was suddenly all around them and she couldn't breathe. When a set of cool fingertips brushed over the back of her neck she tensed and found herself unable to move. Her limbs felt stiff and heavy and she could do nothing but hyperventilate as everything darkened, hidden away in the cloud of poison.

"Oh, Kagome…"

She heard his voice just before she felt him, and her limbs still refused to move as he stepped up behind her. Horrified, she still could not move as he encased her from behind, her back to his chest as his palm cupped the side of her face.

"Pretending to be happy will only keep the taint at bay for so long…and when it comes time for a choice to be made again…it won't be you. Inuyasha didn't want you when he could have Kikyo…and your avatar will forsake you as well."

She sniffled, her mouth agape in mute protest.

"Really…how well do you even know him?"

The question startled her, and her eyes widened. It was true. They had spoken and shared stories, but more of hers than his. In any time that he had ever offered her anything, it was always told in a guarded and vague manner. He was always precise in what he told her and how he described things. Yet, he was always subtle about it too.

Most people wouldn't have noticed.

Oh, but she was different. Gods, she was different. She had lived with Inuyasha and while he didn't outright lie to her very often, she had grown used to his omissions. Typically, Inuyasha's lies weren't lies as they were spoken. They were promises that ultimately went forgotten, not malicious deceptions. He was never outright malicious. He was brash and uncouth, but never intentionally malicious. Even then, she had raised a fox and, while not as cunning as the child she'd known him as, Shippo had certainly been mischievous and sneaky when he could be bothered to put in the effort.

If not for Shippo, there was Miroku. Though a monk, he was an accomplished conman, if nothing else. All the nights that they'd gotten room and board within the villages during their travels were usually due to his 'ominous cloud' routine. Of course, there had been the odd occasion that there was indeed a demon lurking about, but she could have bet her life's savings –which wasn't actually that much, since most of the time she could have been working and attending school had been spent in the feudal era- that the monk had only gotten lucky in several of those instances.

So, yes, she knew that the avatar had always skimmed the details in the stories that he had shared with her. Until then, she had contented herself with the thought that, given time, he would come to trust her enough to fully share his past with her. It was the same thing that she had done with Inuyasha. She had, in her desperation to believe in his affection, convinced herself that given time, he would eventually come to her and love her, regardless of Kikyo.

That mistake had given Hakudoshi his first opening. That mistake had birthed the first twinge of darkness within her soul and, while she had pushed it back and conquered it, it had never really left. That mistake was one that she had sworn never to make again.

It left her heart heavy to know that she had told him everything in the stories that she had allowed him. She certainly hadn't told him all of her adventures and all of what she had seen, done or survived, but what she had told him, she told him in full. It was one thing to refuse to tell one's story. It was another entirely to speak vaguely, just so the other person would believe that the narrator was being forthcoming.

He spun her around with a violent grip on her shoulders and she trembled. She couldn't do it. The darkness, the burn of the miasma, the essence of the spider was all around her and suffocating every inch of her.

"I…will…have you!"

She landed on her back and he lunged for her. She felt the grip of his hand on her throat and the sting of his claws as they tore through her clothes. She felt his skin on hers.

Then she woke up.

* * *

Screaming, she leapt up, hyperventilating and clutching her chest to calm her erratic heartbeat. She scarcely noticed the others as they rushed in from all directions, some through the window, and one through the skylight as several more tried to scramble through the door at once. As she slowly came down from the rush brought on by the frightening dream, she noticed a vague sting on her skin. When the fox god pushed through to gently draw his fingers over the apex of her throat she stiffened when the contact hurt.

It was real. The spider had crept into her mind and wormed through her soul all over again.

Their voices were a blur of distorted background noise as she sat there and desperately tried to grasp what had happened. She knew what had happened, and she knew, at least vaguely, what it meant. As well, blinded by his hubris, Naraku had very pointedly told her exactly what he intended to do, albeit in a very vague and roundabout manner that she didn't entirely understand.

Her gaze slowly drifted to the redheaded avatar when he set his hand on her shoulder. The sound of her name on his lips made her tremble a bit and she almost burst into tears. She couldn't do it. She leapt away from his touch and hurried out the door, glad that it was no longer clogged with people trying to climb over each other to get in. She might have tried jumping out the window if it had been.

She ignored them when they called her name and only hurried down the stairs, two at a time, and outside. She didn't even bother to close the door behind her. She made it to the top of the shrine steps that led out to the road and the hybrid was suddenly in front of her. She blinked. She had expected Inari or Inuyasha, Kurama or maybe even Yusuke to stop her, but not him. For all that she knew of him, he should have been more than happy to see her rush out and get herself killed, and she told him as much.

"Onna, don't be stupid."

She wasn't sure whether to glare at him for the 'onna' or the 'stupid' comment. After a moment she decided it didn't matter and scowled at him for all she was worth, but he seemed relatively unfazed. She supposed, as a hybrid, he wouldn't care very much about a dirty look from a priestess, least of all, her. Like Inuyasha, there were probably very few things he hadn't seen or been subjected to while growing up. Her ire was of little consequence to him and she knew it.

"Your life is of little significance to me."

The bland tone that he spoke almost made her flinch, but not as much as the words themselves. They hit home more than she would like. She opened her mouth to throw a few scathing words back at him, but he didn't allow her the chance.

"But the fox is fool enough to care and you are important to him." She wasn't sure if the hardness of his gaze or the bluntness of his words were what held her in place. "And it is inconvenient if you get yourself killed before this enemy of yours is eradicated. If you want to die, do it after you finish him. I don't care to clean up your mess."

He was gone before she could blink and she only realized why when Inari was suddenly by her side, Inuyasha and Shippo not far behind. The rest of them stayed back, though Kouga and Sango not as far as the others. Slowly, she turned around to look at them all, and tears burned her eyes.

"I'm sorry…" She sniffled quietly and choked back a sob as she ducked her head. "I'm sorry, everybody…"

"Jeeze, don't cry about it, wench…" The gruff command made her smile a little. It was a small comfort to have at least that much normalcy in the sudden discord of the evening.

It only proved one thing. They had waited for too long. Only a year prior, none of them would have just stayed put and waited for Naraku to make his move. They would have been out, hiking across Japan in a dedicated and fierce hunt for the spider. Then, the only means of finding him had been her sight of the shards and whispers of rumors that were, in all likelihood, spread by the vile half demon himself.

It seemed lazy of them to sit there and hide behind the barrier of the shrine while the spider was out there, their comrades in his grasp, and doing as he pleased. It was, indeed, bitterly ironic.

She stood back to listen to them, only distantly, as they began to chatter about something that should have been done weeks earlier. They were going to hunt. It was high time they took the fight back to their enemy. Her heart thrummed anxiously in her chest and she wrapped her fingers in the fabric of her pajama top. Though it was back where it belonged, her heart still remembered the vicious grasp that the spider had kept it in. To that effect, he still had a very firm grasp on it. She could still feel the sensation of his darkness wrapped around her, the claws grasping her heart and squeezing out every little drop of emotional agony that could be had, the feel of his skin on hers.

She suddenly held far more sympathy for Kagura.

A sudden beeping sound, something she immediately placed as an obnoxious ringtone, left her to jump nearly out of her skin. She wasn't certain how many times she had already done that in the last five minutes. Wryly, she mused that it couldn't be good for her heart.

With a dry smile, she supposed that nothing she ever did was particularly good for her heart.

Relaxing mildly, she didn't mind it as Inari stepped away from her to discuss things properly with the others. She was more involved than anyone. She should have participated. Yet, she found herself glued to her spot, staring unseeingly at the ground as their voices echoed in a blur of sound.

Distantly, she noticed as Yusuke held up his hand and stepped away towards the Goshinboku to take a call.

Idly, she noted the way that the energy of the tree fluttered around him and her gaze drifted up to look at the shimmer of the barrier that only she could see. Snapping her head up, she glanced to the carrot top as he moved to join the detective. That was wrong. She wasn't the only one who could see the barrier anymore. It was refreshing, to have someone who could see and understand what it was to possess such sight. It lightened her heart a little to see that the man hadn't been terribly hurt by his time in the spider's grasp. Then it weighed her down doubly so when he offered those brave smiles that she was so accustomed to giving.

She couldn't begin to wonder how many times she had given such hollow expressions and false reassurances to her friends on either side of the well. The thought of the people that she had lost in her own era left a foul taste in her mouth. They had never seen battle or ever been in danger, or even had a semblance of an idea of what she had seen and done.

The friends she had been closest to, the three she considered her best friends since she'd been a child had been lost to her since she'd fallen down the well. For her part, she had grown in leaps and bounds, and far too quickly for the jaded society of the modern era to keep up with. It was an unbalanced growth, forced by being thrust so mercilessly into war that she had only read the subtitles of in history books.

It was one thing to read about the number of people who died on the pages of a text. It was another thing entirely to take active part in it, to see the bloodshed so close that she could still feel the warmth of it as it splattered her skin. The realities of that life had destroyed the one she'd been born to.

Straight A student, top of her class, Higurashi Kagome had died on her fifteenth birthday. In order to grow and change enough to survive, she'd been forced to leave her unchanged, naïve childhood friends behind. Yet, they'd never really been that naïve. They'd always picked up on it when something was wrong, though she had certainly been childishly immature when it came to complaining about Inuyasha at the time. Even if she had been careful in the way she worded things –she could have grimaced at what an accomplished liar she had become- she couldn't deny that she had openly and very childishly complained about the half demon.

Still, as much as she had pushed them away, unable to say a thing about what she was really going through, she had always known that they'd only wished the best for her. Even if it had grown tiresome to have them push her towards Hojo so constantly, she couldn't fault them for it. They didn't know. They couldn't know. Even if she did think they would believe her it wasn't fair to tell them. It wasn't fair to involve them.

As much as she regretted the loss of the closeness that they'd once had, she would never regret leaving them out of it. Now that Naraku was a part of their era, it was just as well. It left them uninvolved.

So, she understood it when she noticed there had been a slight tension between the detective and his friend. Even she didn't know all of what Naraku had shown him or whispered in his ear, but she had the best idea. As much as Naraku had tried to taunt Inuyasha with the life of the dead priestess, the half demon had never experienced the grasp of the spider's darkness as it wound around his very soul. None of them did.

In that, it was only the two of them. Only she and one Kazuma Kuwabara would ever truly _know_. Perhaps, she mused, it was for that reason that they'd grown so close so quickly. She didn't mind it. While boisterous and a definite goofball in every sense of the word, there was a certain knowing to Kuwabara. She could see it in his eyes. There was a knowledge that had been forced on him, perhaps long before Naraku had ever been a part of his life, perhaps only exasperated by his time with the demon, but a knowledge that only another person with such unwanted knowing could even see.

He could see the barrier as she could. He had felt the grasp of the spider's tendrils on his soul as she had. He had felt the darkness wind around and possess his very being, and so had she. Through it all, purification aside, the both of them had remained pure for it. They certainly weren't unchanged by it, but they weren't tainted either.

The silent confidence that such a declaration brought, even if it was only to herself, was shattered at the loud yell of the detective. She turned to look at him and felt her breath slow at the wide-eyed expression on his face. It seemed to morph from confusion to disbelief and then to dread all in a handful of seconds.

It made her stomach roll.

Suddenly standing at attention, the chatter around her was gone just as quickly as the man slowly turned to look at them. His gaze drifted slowly over each one of them until it paused on her, the hand grasping his phone slowly drifting down to hang uselessly at his side even as the person on the other end shouted things that she couldn't quite make out. When his gaze suddenly shot over to the avatar she jumped in surprise and turned to look at the redhead as well.

He seemed equally surprised and blinked as everyone turned to look at him in turn.

Yusuke opened his mouth mutely and gaped for a moment unable to muster the ability to speak as he met the other man's gaze. For all that had happened and for all the words that they'd had, especially where the priestess was involved, they were still friends. They'd been through too much for that to suddenly change. As much as Kagome meant, there was a kinship between them that ran too deep to be so easily dissolved.

Yet, in that instant it could do nothing for them and no matter how much he didn't want to, he couldn't keep it from them. Granted, he wouldn't be able to anyway, with as loud and vocal as he'd been.

"Kurama, I…I'm sorry, man…"

His voice cracked as he watched the rarely seen emotions flit through the avatar's eyes. His gaze drifted to Kagome for a moment and he almost grimaced when he realized how even _she_ would take it. She was too eager to blame herself and too self-sacrificing for her own damn good. Part of him wanted to wait until she wasn't around to utter the words, but he wouldn't. He couldn't protect them from this.

"Yusuke…"

The avatar's quiet prompt broke something inside of him and the words fell from his lips as he glanced to the ground, unable to look his friend in the eye anymore.

"They took her…" Swallowing, Yusuke lifted his gaze, knowing he couldn't hide from the fox, from _her_, or from any of them as he delivered the final blow. "They took Shiori."

* * *

**A/N: So guys, we're nearing the end of the story- there's only a few chapters left until we get to the end! Yes, I have an ending decided and yes, I **_**will**_** be hiding in a bomb shelter when I post it.**

**Today's Dedication: Those of you who stuck around – after all, you put up with me… and the fact that I went completely awol rather graciously.**

**Today's Rant: …please shoot me.**

**I never, **_**never**_** thought that I would ever have to rant about this. I really didn't. It absolutely blows my mind that I was even given the **_**opportunity**_** to **_**think**_** about ranting about this.**

**You put periods (or exclamation marks, or whatever is appropriate) at the end of your sentences, people! You do **_**not**_** just leave it open. The only exception is when you're IMing or texting someone- though text speak drives me absolutely up the walls. That, however, is a rant for another day.**

'**I like dogs because they're friendly'**

'**I like cats because they're independent.'**

**Also, there, they're, and their, are not interchangeable. I can't believe I see so many people use the wrong one in absolutely inappropriate context.**

'**That's they're car. There going over their later.' – BAD! Very, **_**very**__**bad!**_

'**Their car is over there; they're going out later.' – Good!**

**It's English 101! Most of you learn this stuff in first grade! Just...just…no. I have nothing more to say on this subject; just…the little dot is your friend!**

**Later guys!**

**~Cherry**


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